Winter tyres provide numerous safety and peace-of –mind benefits compared with standard-fit tyres, which work optimally in warmer temperatures. Thanks to the specific cold-weather tyre compound and tread pattern, the adhesion on dangerous, wet, snowy and icy surfaces is maximised.

The conventional tyres, fitted as standard on all passenger vehicles here and in the UK, have a harder tread compound, engineered to ensure grip in normal seasonal temperatures. The molecules in the tread rubber freeze and harden as temperatures fall, thereby raising the risk of aquaplaning and increasing braking distance.

Latest construction techniques and high-tech materials mean that winter tyres perform superbly in all conditions- even warm, dry weather – but excel when temperatures fall. These cold weather tyres use a higher proportion of natural rubber in the tread, minimising the hardening effect at low temperatures and giving improved traction performance in temperatures below 7° Celsius.

The winter weather is encouraging professional motorists such as sales people, doctors and other people who have to be on the road, to buy winter tyres, but where can they be purchased?

A quick phone about by Autobiz to several and various tyre fitting stations resulted in zero stock holding, they could be ordered but no real promise of availability.

If climate change were going to bring us much colder winters we need to get on top of this subject, it would help to ensure that the country keeps moving safely and that motorists have more grip and confidence behind the wheel.