Here in Britain, we like to think that the sight of classic cars tootling along our roads is about as quintessentially British as it gets. In reality, most countries have just as many classic cars on the roads as we do. It’s just that many of ours are the prettiest and most iconic ever made.
In any case, classic car enthusiasts have expressed concern regarding ongoing government initiatives to help tackle air pollution. It’s no secret that the UK government is trying to bring air pollution to safer levels in British towns and cities. But if the strictest emissions laws outlined today go ahead, many classic cars are given their marching orders.
Now, it’s worth mentioning at this point that there is something of a caveat to all this. According to the legislation, vehicles over 40 years old would be exempt from the rule. As such, anyone lucky enough to own a genuine classic could still get out and about as normal. However, car owners looking to transfer classic car engines into new bodies might find their resulting replicas illegal.
Unsurprisingly, various members of the public and politicians alike have voiced their concerns regarding the potential impact of the proposed legislation.
MP Sir Greg Knight, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group, being one of them:
“Classic cars are part of the rich tapestry of recreational pursuits enjoyed in this country by many people. I would want to encourage it, not force people off the road,” he said.
“I put this down to civil servants not appreciating the fact that when people buy replica classic cars they want it to sound and drive like the original,”
“If you’re buying a replica E-type, for example, you’re not going to want to put a Nissan engine in it, are you? A lot of these cars are built by small businesses scattered around the country.”
On one hand, you could argue that these kinds of measures geared towards the benefit of the greater good are both necessary and acceptable. After all, only a relatively tiny proportion of the population would be affected by such a ban. On the other, when you consider that kit cars represent such a tiny niche area within the wider automotive landscape, the beneficial impact of banning semi-classics from UK roads would probably be negligible at best.
Certainly not the kind of benefit that could be accurately measured or demonstrated.
Still, it’s all by the by for the time being as nothing has been set in stone. What’s more, it goes without saying that whichever direction the government decides to take things in, it is inevitable that some people will be more disgruntled than others. Not to mention, potentially out of pocket.
In the meantime, we can at least take comfort in the fact that while pollution levels in the UK aren’t exactly great, they’re nowhere near as bad as those of many of our European neighbours. In fact, a recent study into air quality (or lack thereof) found out that the UK didn’t even rank within the top 10 worst offenders.
