GROWING CALLS TO SCRAP 40YEAR ROLLING HISTORIC TAX
Campaign says VED status should be given at 30 years to attract youngsters
More than 5500 people have signed an online petition asking the Government to reconsider the age at which classics are eligible for free road tax.
UK legislation says that a car must be 40 years old before it qualifies for Vehicle Excise Duty ( VED) exemptions; its tax class can then be changed to ‘Historic’.
Petition organiser, 22-year-old Stephen Hearse-Morgan, said: ‘The response has been mind-blowing. Tax on Eighties classics remains expensive and those trying to get into these cars at a young age need that extra cash to keep them maintained and on the road.’
Stephen’s petition did not, however, ask for a successful 30-year free VED threshold to cover MoT exemptions; classic car owners were also offered the choice to forego roadworthiness testing when the current rolling tax arrangement was announced in 2014. He said: ‘All cars should undergo a safety check. MoTs are important to ensure that the vehicles are roadworthy.
His views have been echoed by classic car YouTuber, Steph Holloway. She said: ‘I believe a tax exemption extension for classics over the age of 30 would be a boost to the retro car market. I don’t, however, believe that the extension of the MoT exemption would be wise; I am not a big fan of the current exemption laws. I am pleased that interest in newer classics, or retro cars as some may classify them, continues to grow and it is proactive behaviour like this that will see far more cars preserved for future generations.’
The petition quickly attracted signatures as it was shared across the internet; were it successful, the UK’s definition of a historic vehicle would mirror that of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) and global classic lobbying group, the Fédération International des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA), of which the FBHVC is a member.
All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group chair, Sir Greg Knight MP, however, urged campaigners to reconsider. He said: ‘Any attempt to persuade the Government to change the current Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for historic vehicles needs to be approached with caution. Timing is as important as the merits of the case itself and seeking to obtain a wider tax exemption whilst we are still recovering from the pandemic is not a good idea. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is already facing a Budget shortfall a result of COVID-19, so asking him now to forego more anticipated VED receipts is not something that is likely to be welcomed in Whitehall.’