Longest studded-tyre period in Europe

Drivers in the Faroes can use studded tyres for seven months, from 15 October to 15 May.

This is the longest period in all of Europe.

For comparison, Sweden has a period of six-and-a-half months, Norway has six months, Iceland has five-and-a-half months and Finland five months.

It has long been debated in the Faroes whether this period may be too long, with some arguing that studded tyres are only really necessary a few days per year.

 >> SEE ALSO Time to take off those studded tyres

“Compared with the countries around us – all of which have much harsher winters than we have – it may seem a bit contradictory that we can use studded tyres for seven months here in the Faroes,” says airline pilot Andreas Mouritsen, who has been commuting between Tórshavn and Vágar Airport for the past 25 years.

This view is echoed by transportation minister Dennis Holm, who wants to look into the possibility of shortening the studded-tyre period.

 >> SEE ALSO Studded tyres allowed until 15 May

“Studded tyres wear down our roads, there’s no doubt about that. This is something I will look more into in the coming days,” he says.

“There is also a very important environmental concern here as studded tyres mill out great amounts of dust from the asphalt.”

According to Norway's road authority, travelling 20 km in a vehicle with studded tyres mills out 200 grams of asphalt dust.

Read the Faroese versions of this article here and here.

More Faroese News in English.