Symmetrical and directional pneumatic tire tread

A directional type tread for a pneumatic tire, the tire being for use on paved road surfaces, the tread, when mounted on a casing, comprising:

• first and second circumferentially extending zones, the edges of the zones being parallel to the equatorial plane of the tire, each zone having a width between 40% and 60% of the tread width;
• the first zone having substantially aligned lateral wide groove segments extending thereacross, the lateral wide groove segments, over a majority of their length in the first zone, forming an angle of between 70 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to a plane in the first zone which is parallel to the equatorial plane of the tire, said tread having wide grooves therein which intersect said lateral wide grooves in the first zone to form blocks, each said block having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edges of the blocks contacting a road surface prior to the trailing edges of the same blocks when the tire is rotating in its forward direction, the trailing edges of the blocks in said first zone being wider than the trailing edges of said blocks;
• and
• the second zone having substantially aligned lateral wide groove segments extending thereacross, the lateral wide groove segments, over a majority of their length in the second zone, forming an angle of between 10 degrees and 45 degrees with respect to a plane in the second zone which is parallel to the equatorial plane of the tire.