Classic cars are revered among collectors and they believe the motors should be protected at all costs. A petition had been introduced to prevent certain classic cars from being scrapped under manufacturer scrappage deals. Over 14,000 enthusiasts signed the petition, which was delivered to the Department For Transport on June 21st 2018.
However, the government have turned down the petition, saying that it’s up to a manufacturer to decide whether classic vehicles should be scrapped or not based on the proposal. The petition, started by Practical Classics, had aimed to make it illegal for any car with ‘historic vehicle’ status listed on its V5 registration document to be accepted as part of scrappage schemes.
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs’ communications director Geoff Lancaster commented on the news. “We feel uncomfortable about calling for legislation to constrain owners of historic vehicles when our central philosophy is all about protecting freedoms. We would prefer that manufacturers make provision for preserving historic vehicles in their scrappage schemes.”
Greg Knight, Conservative MP for East Yorkshire also gave his opinion. “If vehicle manufacturers do buy back historic cars through scrappage schemes they should give serious consideration to what they do with them. Many older cars will be worth much more that their scrap metal value as a source for spare parts.”
Scrappage schemes were introduced as a way to reduce vehicle pollution and use parts for new cars that are environmentally friendly. Manufacturers have offered discounts in order to persuade people to drive newer cars. A lot of manufacturers have stopped the scheme, but others like Toyota, Kia and Hyundai continue to offer deals.
