The end of the road for my classic car?
WHAT will happen to lovingly restored classic cars when petrol is no longer available (Letters)? Boris Johnson has a habit of making grand announcements without thinking through the detail and therefore causing further difficulties down the road. The commitment for all new cars to be electric by 2030 is no doubt driven by the international climate change conference Britain is hosting. As the owner of a classic car, I am concerned. I bought my Atlantic green Skoda Felicia in 2013. The garage in Ipswich from which I have bought my daily drives for the past 21 years was trying to interest me in it for a long time. It was parked shining in the showroom, having arrived from Leeds where it had been bought to celebrate a grandson passing his driving test. Sadly, the youngster thought it wouldn’t do his street credibility any good so rejected it. When I bought it, there was just 125 miles on the clock. I am a member of the Skoda Owners Club and the East Anglian Practical Classics Club. In a normal year, I would attend 20 shows and events, plus other car club events. I have taken part in charity events such as the Norfolk Open Churches Run, starting from Norwich Cathedral. I am glad to say I completed it and navigation incompetencies were kept to a minimum. On any weekend from Easter to October, there will be large numbers of classic vehicles on the roads. From steam rallies and car shows to fetes, such vehicles are a major attraction for the public. The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs estimates the annual value of the classic vehicle industry is £7.2 billion. There are 350,000 enthusiasts in car clubs and 4,000 businesses employing 35,000 staff. Exports of historic vehicles are worth £350 million. It is a pleasure to give my time to attend events to display my car, meet and talk to visitors and know I am helping good causes. An integral part of the British summer could be irretrievably lost. The contribution that classic vehicles make to the country’s economic and mental well-being should not be punctured!