Erik Holt is at Dekkstra Forus to have summer tires changed to winter tires. – They are studless winter tyres, yes. I have driven with it for 30 years, and it works well. I don’t have a cabin in the mountains, so I don’t need studded tyres. He does not think people will choose studded tires again after the Stavanger politicians decided to remove the studded tire tax. – I think people have gotten used to driving without spikes now. With the climate and the driving conditions we have here in Stavanger, there is no problem, so I don’t think it will happen. Erik Holt has driven with studless winter tires for 30 years, and sees no reason to change to studded tyres. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news More people want to choose studded tyres, but the statement from the Norwegian Road Administration shows otherwise. – When the studded tire fee is removed, the use of studded tires increases. That’s according to senior advisor Gunhild Lutnæs, who works with climate and environment in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. This was especially clear in Trondheim, which removed the fee in 2010, but reintroduced it in 2017. – Trondheim had a stay of six years where they had no studded tire fee. Then we saw that there were more people using studded tyres. After they re-introduced the studded tire fee, studded tire use went down again, says Lutnæs. Senior adviser Gunhild Lutnæs in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. Photo: Statens vegvesen When the studded tire fee was removed in Trondheim in 2010, the spike free rate was 78 per cent. When the studded tire fee was reintroduced seven years later, the studded exemption rate was down to 64 per cent. The latest figures from the National Road Administration show that the other three big cities have a good number of studless winter tires after the fee was introduced. Oslo has 90 per cent, Bergen 88 per cent and Trondheim 81 per cent. The fee may be introduced again Stavanger had a stud-free proportion of less than 70 per cent, before the studded tire fee was introduced in 2017. Now nine out of ten cars in the Stavanger area have stud-free winter tyres. It is as high as Oslo, which has had the most studded winter tires in percentage after the fee was introduced there in 2005. Environmental protection manager Jane Nilsen Aalhus in Stavanger municipality believes the studded tire fee should be reintroduced, as many people now want to use studded tires again. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø – We will follow this very closely to see the development when it comes to the use of studded tyres. We know that the use of studded tires leads to poorer air quality due to more airborne dust, and that the studded tire fee is a very effective measure. That’s according to environmental protection manager Jane Nilsen Aalhus in Stavanger municipality. They will now draw up a new action plan for better air quality, where the introduction of studded tire fees may become relevant again. – The studded tire fee should be reintroduced if the proportion of studded tires fell below 86 per cent, that is the recommendation from the Directorate of Roads, says Aalhus. Almost no-one wants a spike At Dekkstra Forus, there are very busy days. Over the next month or so, 7,000 cars will get winter tyres. And it goes away. It takes seven to eight minutes, then all four tires are changed, and the car is ready for winter driving. Sander Thrane Årbø at Dekkstra Forus takes a maximum of eight minutes to change to winter tires on a car. And it’s almost only studless tires he’s seen on cars. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news But almost no one wants studded tyres, says daily leader Terje Holgersen. – There are few studded tires we have seen on the car track. It is only those who have always driven with spikes who still have spikes. And even though the studded tire tax is now gone, we don’t see anyone increasing the studded tire sales. Daily owner Terje Holgersen at Dekkstra Forus says there are almost no customers who want studded tyres. – Fee is the best measure The Swedish Road Administration has no opinion on whether it was right or wrong for Stavanger to cut the studded tire fee. But the Road Administration is resoundingly clear that this is a good measure to get better city air. – The studded tire fee is one of the most effective means of reducing road dust. Then you go directly to the source of road dust, as opposed to cleaning and dust suppression. Less use of studded tires leads to less road dust being produced, says Lutnæs in the Swedish Road Administration. Jostein Voll swears by studless winter tyres, while his brother uses studs when he goes to the cabin in the mountains. Photo: Gunnar Morsund / news Jostein Voll has also had winter tires fitted at Dekkstra Forus. He’s good without spikes. – I doubt whether more people will choose studded tires again when the tax is now removed. There is more noise inside the car, and I think people think that they stir up more dust if they drive with studded tyres. But someone will still choose studded tyres, according to Voll. – My brother drives with studded tyres. He drives a lot in the mountains. Stud-free winter tires do not work there.
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The studded tire fee has been removed in Stavanger, more people will choose studded tires again – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
