Classic car owners could be forced off roads under new Labour government plans to tighten emissions regulations for vehicles in use in the UK, the industry has warned. A consultation launched by the government is seeking views on proposals to strengthen the law around emissions from road vehicles that are already on the roads.
What the proposals would mean
The proposals aim to ensure that road vehicles continue to meet the same legal emissions requirements that applied when they were built and first registered for use on the roads. The government said: “There is now a gap in the emissions laws between what is required when a vehicle is newly built and registered and when it is in use on the roads. There is no requirement to maintain the functioning of the ECS of Euro 5 or 6 light-duty vehicles or Euro VI heavy-duty vehicles.”
“In our view, this gap has contributed to vehicles being poorly maintained or modified in ways that increase emissions, which has led to poorer air quality and negative impacts on public health. It has also left a law where the burden of maintenance falls to those with older vehicles.”
Industry warns of unintended consequences
Experts have warned that any new policies could have a devastating impact on historic vehicles. Classic car insurance specialist Footman James warned that older vehicles could be caught up in rules designed to crack down on poor maintenance and the deliberate use of “delete” modifications.
DPFs, GPFs, catalytic converters, AdBlue/SCR systems and diesel EGR systems could be affected, Footman James said. Sam Smith, head of Footman James, said: "Classic owners are not the problem this policy is trying to solve. The Government is right to target deliberate emissions cheating, but it must not accidentally punish the people preserving Britain's motoring heritage."
Concerns over obsolete parts and MOT tests
Mr Smith added: "The danger here is that a cherished modern classic could be maintained with care and sail through its MOT - including the emissions test - yet still be treated as non-compliant because an obsolete emissions component has failed and can no longer be sourced."
He concluded: "Modern classics are part of Britain's motoring culture. They should not be lost because regulation failed to account for the realities of keeping our heritage alive." Any decisions over the consultation would now fall to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, despite the Makerfield MP not being PM when the consultation was launched.
