UK’s CLASSICS HIT BY ‘FATAL’ FUEL THREAT
Westminster group representing the nation’s historic vehicles vows to make sure higher ethanol petrol isn’t forced on classics
The planned nationwide rollout of higher ethanol petrol – linked to fuel system damage and fires in classics – has been named as the biggest challenge to classic owners by a group of MPs representing older vehicles at Westminster.
Sir Greg Knight MP, head of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Historic Vehicles, said that emissions zones and the cost of parking were on the newly-reformed group’s agenda. However, making sure that classic owners weren’t affected by plans to increase the amount of ethanol in petrol from the current five per cent, known as E5, to ten per cent, to help lower overall vehicle emissions was the biggest priority during forthcoming discussions with the Department for Transport.
Sir Greg said: ‘The danger in the main is not malevolence, but ignorance. E10 is fatal.’
‘The danger is not malevolence, but ignorance. E10 is fatal.’
SIR GREG KNIGHT MP
Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group (APPHVG), Sir Greg Knight MP, has said that raising enthusiast awareness of ethanol in fuel is top of his group’s priorities.
His comments came as the group was re-established with the election of a new Parliament, which also promised to keep a close eye on emissions zones, congestion charging and the rising costs of age-based car parking. He said: ‘The danger in the main is not malevolence, but ignorance. E10 is fatal.’
E10 petrol – short for 10 per cent bioethanol – still hasn’t appeared on British forecourts but, according to Sir Greg, the Conservative majority-elected Government, which acknowledges the incompatibility of E10 with classic fuel systems, ‘is under pressure from farmers and environmentalists to introduce E10 sooner rather than later’.
Currently, the maximum amount of bioethanol allowed in standard ‘regular’ grade (95 octane) unleaded petrol under British Standard EN 228 is five per cent (E5); to meet emissions requirements, E10, as its name suggests, would allow up to ten per cent. Its corrosive and combustible effects on historic vehicle rubber hoses, gaskets and carburettors is well documented and condemned by various professional bodies, including the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) and the AA; latterly, specialist restorer, Classic Motor Cars (CMC), has also warned that not enough is being done to keep E10 away from historic vehicles.
The APPHVG championed the national re-labelling of petrol and diesel on forecourts last year, and continues to do so – but only supported plans for a low ethanol ‘protection grade’ to be kept available as pricier, high octane fuel (rated 97 and higher).
The RAC Foundation disagreed with this move, arguing that it disadvantaged users of older, pre-2001 cars used every day that were incompatible with E10, along with enthusiasts who used their classics on a daily basis.
Sir Greg, who also argued for proportionally fairer fuel costs across board in line with the rise and fall of crude oil pricing, said: ‘It would be unfair to the fuel producers to make super unleaded cost the same as regular unleaded if it costs more to make in the first place.’
Bioethanol in forecourt fuel is also to be debated at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show’s new Classic World live forum on 27-29 March, although it also wants to tackle matters of MoT exemption, electrification, smart motorways and classic vehicle preservation.
Sir Greg, who said that he was aware of draft plans unveiled by Birmingham and York that could ban liquid-fuelled cars from city centres, added that other issues that the APPHVG regard as an ‘ongoing battle’ – specifically emissions zones and age-related parking – will be ‘given representation as and when it becomes apparent plans are confirmed. Those sort of policies are unsustainable; you would hit businesses if you did it’.
The FBHVC says that it strongly supports the APPHVG’s priority list. Communications officer, Wayne Scott, said: ‘Sir Greg has his finger on the pulse and we would indeed agree with that list of issues.’
The FBHVC has also said that it now wants to concentrate on recovering original registration numbers of historic vehicles and promoting apprenticeships within the sector.
❚ historicvehicles.org.uk
❚ fbhvc.co.uk