LEGISLATION
Club experts say that now is not the time to re-visit mandatory MoT inspections for older classic cars
An organisation that represents the UK’s classic clubs has said that it is not calling for a re-assessment on MoT exemption for older classics.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) said that it had discussed a Department for Transport consultation that asked whether Historic vehicles’ exemption from annual MoTs introduced in 2018 should be reviewed.
The FBHVC’s experts told CCW during the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show that data that it had received from its insurance partners indicated that there was no evidence that the exemption increased the risk of classic owners being involved in accidents. The DfT’s consultation, which closed on 22 March, also looked at two-year MoTs for younger vehicles.
Legislation director, Lindsay Irvine, said: ‘Although views across the historic vehicle community were split when the change was proposed our view is that a change back does not appear to be warranted. Unless there is statistical evidence of which we are unaware demonstrating that the safety risk has been too high in terms of accidents to which road worthiness has played a causative or contributory part, the current compromise whereby owners can obtain a voluntary test but there is no compulsion, seems justifiable.’
Classic experts taking part in a live stage panel at the show – including Wheeler Dealerspresenter,Mike Brewer, argued that classics should still be inspected. He said: ‘I think there should be club-led MoTs or inspections – every club has a responsibility to its members, where someone in the club who’s mechanically savvy can go over a car and issue a certificate that in the club’s view is roadworthy. The move to exempt 40-year-old cars from MoT testing is a stupid decision.’
Steph Hoy from the IDriveAClassic series on YouTube, said: ‘It only takes one ca
