Continental tyres help safety stay at the forefront for Stewarts Coaches

With schoolchildren to football stars numbering amongst the 850,000 people who travel each year on its 40-strong bus and coach fleet, passenger safety is paramount at leading Berkshire coach company Stewarts Coaches.

Tyres are clearly one of the most safety critical parts on any vehicle and the Reading company wanted to partner with a reliable tyre supplier who could provide them with high quality products backed by first class service.

The choice it made was Wokingham based tyre dealer Staysure and the Continental tyre brand, particularly for its longer distance, heavy-duty, premium coaches.

Engineering manager Tommie Thatcher is in no doubt that it was the right decision. “Throughout our long relationship, Staysure Tyres have been outstanding and provide fantastic support,” he says. “If we have a problem they usually come out to us within 90 minutes and if it’s roadside assistance then they are usually there within the hour.

“They also help us in choosing the right tyre for the different applications, such as long distance work or local urban operations. For our larger top-end coaches, which include the latest Irizar three-axle executive models, our choice of tyre is Continental.

“We always use new on the steer axles and get around 62,000 miles before we get them re-grooved by Staysure and run them out on the drive axle. Continentals always wear nice and evenly and don’t rub out on the shoulders, which makes them ideal for re-grooving and this allows us to get a second high mileage life from them.”

Suitable for both regional and long distance applications, the HSR2 combines economy with extended tyre life, whilst providing a more comfortable ride quality for both driver and passengers. The design features a durable casing with a 4-ply triangular belt and a bead structure with steel cord reinforcement, which reduces rolling resistance to deliver fuel savings of up to five percent.

Increased sidewall stability provides improved handling and air pressure loss is also reduced by 50 percent through the use of Continental’s AirKeep® technology resulting in better fuel consumption and longer tyre life. The high tread volume is designed to allow for re-grooving to extend mileage by up to 20 percent.

Also used is the Continental HSW2 Coach, the first winter tyre specifically designed for use on coaches. This tyre ensures maximum safety for passengers and the vehicle in a wide range of conditions and the numerous sipes reaching down to the base of the tread guarantee a high level of traction on wintry roads during the whole life of the tyre.

The design of the tread pattern makes the HSW2 Coach suitable for use on all axles of a coach. Further flexibility comes from the fact that it can be used all year round, removing the costs of changing and storing tyres on a seasonal basis. Like the HSR2, this tyre also uses AirKeep® technology to prevent gradual loss of inflation pressure.

As a member of the prestigious Guild of British Coach Operators, Stewarts Coaches aspires to maintain the highest standards of coach operation. The use of Continental tyres is playing a small but significant part in achieving that goal.