Few cities in the whole of Europe are as busy with traffic as London. The capital has some of the most congested trunk roads even before you get into the city centre. The north circular, or A406, is renowned for its delays even on a good day. Likewise, arterial routes in South London, such as the A2, the A3 and the A23 through Croydon, can get clogged up even before the rush hour begins in earnest. Once you have driven into the congestion charge zone, it is often no better. Upper Thames Street can take an age to get through the city. Tottenham Court Road, Wigmore Street and Stamford Street are all supposedly A-roads but they never feel like it when you are driving on them!

Of course, bumper to bumper traffic means you cannot always spot problems on the road ahead. It is all too easy to run over broken glass, to hit potholes and to drive over patches of oil. All of these things can make your tyres underperform. What are the steps you should be taking to help your car’s tyres deal with London’s busy streets?

Wheel Tracking

The alignment of your wheels is essential if your car is to respond well to the tough driving conditions in the capital. Have your tracking adjusted regularly, especially if you drive over lots of speed bumps on your daily commute. Incorrectly aligned wheels will pull against one another causing one, or more, tyre to age prematurely. 

Tread Depth

Constant braking and tight manoeuvring will wear down your tread depth rapidly. To make sure you are safe and properly roadworthy, you should confirm your tread depth using a gauge. If they are starting to wear down, then you ought to replace them sooner rather than later. Don’t continue to use worn out tyres!  You can buy car tyres in London from DAT Tyres where they will be fitted for you professionally. 

Tyre Debris

Modern tyres don’t tend to deflate immediately when something like a nail or a screw sticks into them. These are all too easy to pick up when driving on the capital’s road network. If you spot something sticking into your tyre, then don’t be tempted to tug it out since this can make the situation worse. Instead, tyre debris will work its way inside and you should have the wheel concerned inspected by a mechanic to find out whether or not it is safe to continue driving on.