EXCLUSIVE
Transport Secretary says he’s working to help owners of older vehicles
A classic-backing cabinet minister has said that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) needs to be more sensitive when considering cases involving older vehicles.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said at an event organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicles Group that he and Westminster colleagues recognised the importance of the UK’s classic vehicle movement in supporting tens of thousands of jobs and that he was working with representatives of the Swansea-based vehicle registration agency to help resolve cases involving classics more effectively.
He said: ‘The DVLA hasn’t always had the happiest of relationships with owners of classic and historic vehicles, and since I’ve been running the Department [for Transport] I hope that we’ve set it on a better trajectory. We’re not completely at the end of that journey but I hope we can get to a point where we have a good, happy rapprochement, with the DVLA doing what it needs to verify vehicle quality, safety and veracity, but to do it in a way that is sensitive to the needs of classic and historic vehicle owners.
‘I know there’s been a lot of engagement going on and I do feel that we’re moving in the right direction. That’s certainly the steer that those on the DVLA who work for me have been given, and we’ll keep that process going. You can rest assured that MPs, including
Transport Select Committee member Greg Smith, do grill me frequently when I appear before them on how the department engages the owners of classic vehicles – and you can also rest assured that they will continue to do so.’
The minister’s comments come after experts at the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs raised concerns about how the agency handles classic-specific cases (CCW, 2 August) and the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance invited two DVLA representatives to speak at its Heritage Matters conference (CCW, 11 October). As part of their work with the DVLA’s Historic Vehicle User Group, both organisations have cited issues with registering restored vehicles, Q-prefix plates being issued incorrectly and delays in vehicles being given tax-exempt status.
The DVLA – which is currently undergoing a government-led review into its operations – has told classic experts that it is keen to listen to classic vehicle owners, including through
