Reinforcing plies for tires

A pneumatic tire comprising a radial ply carcass, a tread disposed radially outwardly of the crown region of the carcass, a belt assembly interposed between the tread and the crown region of the carcass in circumferential surrounding relation to the carcass, whereby the belt assembly includes at least two plies each of which comprises cords of high modulus material extending parallel to one another, and making opposed angles with respect to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire, whereby each of the belt plies has a respective width approximately equal to that of the tread, and disposed radially outwardly of the belt assembly is an overlay ply comprising at least one layer of textile reinforcing elements which are substantially parallel to one another and to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire, the textile reinforcing elements of the overlay ply comprising successively aligned cord sections arranged in parallel rows each having a length in the range of between 1/4 and 1/8 of the corresponding circumferential development of the tire, the cord sections in each row having substantially equal length, and being separated circumferential interruptions having a width such that the total width of the interruptions per circumferentially extending row of cords is less than 4% of the corresponding circumferential development of the tire.