Environmental activists deflate tyres of SUVs in affluent Liverpool suburb in nighttime sting operation

A group of environmental activists has deflated the tyres of 30 SUVs across Allerton in the early hours of Tuesday morning because they are a ‘health, public safety and climate disaster’.

The action was part of a wider UK campaign by The Tyre Extinguishers group, which hit ‘hundreds of vehicles’ in 13 areas across the country.

The local Liverpool Tyre Extinguishers focused on Allerton and after letting down the tyres left a leaflet under the vehicle’s windscreen wipers proclaiming ‘attention - your gas guzzler kills’.

The group claim to be local residents who are ‘taking direct action against SUV vehicles in the city’ and ‘intend to continue these actions and will be encouraging others to do so too’.

Merseyside Police said vehicles on streets including Courtland Road, Edale Road, Addingham Road and Hillside Road in Allerton were targeted.

A statement from The Liverpool Tyre Extinguishers said: “Last night we deflated the tyres of 30 SUVs in the most affluent wards of Allerton. We put the attached leaflet under each of these vehicles windscreen wipers.

“We took this action because SUVs and 4x4s are a disaster for our health, our public safety and our climate.

“We want to make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4x4 in an urban area because they are simply not necessary.

“Deflating tyres repeatedly and encouraging others to do the same will turn the minor inconvenience of a flat tyre into a giant obstacle for driving massive killer vehicles around our streets.”

The group claimed they avoided deflating the tyres of vehicles belonging to people with disabilities, traders and electric vehicles.

The group added: “We used data on indices of multiple deprivation to ensure that the areas we targeted were among the most affluent wards in the city.

“Because governments and politicians have failed to protect us from climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers, we must protect ourselves.

“We intend to continue these actions and will be encouraging others to do so too.”

The action was part of a national campaign by The Tyre Extinguishers targeting SUVs in 13 "well-to-do" locations, including  Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield.

SUVs feature elements of standard cars but are larger and have off-road capabilities such as high ground clearance. Petrol and diesel-powered models are generally less fuel efficient than cars.

Marion Walker, of The Tyre Extinguishers, said: "Governments and politicians have failed to protect us from these massive unnecessary vehicles.

"SUVs are a climate disaster, they cause air pollution and are dangerous for other road users.

"Everyone hates them, apart from the people who drive them.

"Politely asking for climate action, clean air and safer streets has failed. It’s time for action."

Police call for information

Merseyside Police released a statement asking for information about the incident saying that ‘tyres on a number of cars were reported to have been let down in Allerton overnight’.  

A statement said: “We received a number of reports on Tuesday morning reporting members of the public finding their tyres had been deflated on streets off Allerton Road and Rose Lane.  

“It is believed the vehicles on streets including Courtland Road, Edale Road, Addingham Road and Hillside Road were targeted in the early hours of the morning.  

“Enquiries are ongoing, and high visibility patrols will be deployed in the area affected.”