Rims and tyres take a hit

THERE has been a marked increase recently in rims and tyres falling victim to the condition of local roads that are riddled with potholes and broken edges. Photo: SUPPLIED.

By Lizzie Hallam

October 23, 2024 | 6:00 PM

ONE local tyre business has reported a steady increase in drivers bringing their vehicles in after hitting a pothole on south west roads needing tyres as well as rims repaired.

“It’s been a steady increase,” Grampians Tyre Service owner, Nathan Hinkley said.

“Yes definitely – we get a heap here – mainly blown tyres – but around 50 per cent of the time they come in with bent rims.”

Mr Hinkley said the increase might not be as marked in this area as other areas in the south west because of the types of vehicles that are driven here.

“What makes it not as bad is because of the vehicles that are driven in this area – Landcruisers, Hiluxes – anything that has bigger wheels, but anything like a four-door sedan – we see a lot of bent rims,” he said.

“Usually you do one per vehicle – but we have had cases where people do two tyres and rims in one go.

“To repair the rim, it’s around $350 including freight and most tyres are between $200 and $400.”

Mr Hinkley said it was very frustrating for local road users to have to pay for a rim to be fixed as well as the tyre.

“As soon as you tell someone their rims are cracked – they’re not happy.”

The increase in repairs comes as local road user, Kevin Bourke registered a further complaint regarding the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road.

In frustration with the lack of government action on the road, Mr Bourke installed his own signage a couple of weeks ago to alert drivers to the bad condition.

However, last week, he said VicRoads were attending to the road, but only the bitumen surface of the road, leaving the edges riddled with potholes.

“It’s just a complete waste of money,” he said.

“You should come down here and see what they’re doing.

“They’re not even touching the edges.

“It’s just a joke.”

This comes as just over a week ago the Victorian Government announced it would invest $964 million to repair and resurface roads, including potholes.

However, the Opposition was quick to criticise the announcement saying it was not new money – it was just reannouncing what was in the budget earlier this year.