Both Great Britain and European Union look to scrap inspections for older cars, but can’t agree on cutoff years

Photo by Axel Drainville.

Recently proposed regulations out of both the European Union and Great Britain aim to eliminate the annual or periodic roadworthiness testing that EU member states currently require for some older cars, though exactly how old the cars need to be has become a point of contention for the two.

As put forth in its 2014 directive on periodic roadworthiness testing, the EU stressed the importance of testing but also allowed for a number of exemptions, including for “vehicles of historical interest” which it defined as any vehicle 30 years old or older that hasn’t been modified from its original configuration.

As written, however, the EU directive doesn’t stipulate the exemption or the rolling 30-year-old cutoff. So with that leeway, the British Department for Transport last month proposed its own exemptions for historical vehicles from its annual mandatory MOT testing regime that set the cutoff at 40 years and older. Great Britain has exempted any vehicles older than 1960 from MOT testing since 2012.

“A number of people in Great Britain gain significant enjoyment from driving older vehicles and such vehicles add to the diversity on our roads,” wrote John Hayes, the British Minister of State for Transport, in an executive summary of the new regulations. “It is important that they can continue to enjoy this activity. It is also important that these vehicles are safe and appropriately maintained, especially as many older vehicles lack appropriate safety features, to ensure the risk to road safety is reduced.”

Photo by rovernut.

Department for Transportation figures cited in the summary show a higher MOT failure rate for 1978 to 1987 vehicles than for 1960 to 1977 vehicles (33.7 percent versus 25.3 percent) and a higher personal injury road accident rate for the 30- to 40-year-old cars versus the 40-years-and-older cars.

Like the EU directive, the British proposal wouldn’t apply exemptions to substantially modified vehicles. The British proposal, which also happens to coincide with the 40-year exemption for vehicle taxes in Great Britain, could free as many as 300,000 vehicles from MOT testing.

Perhaps the most vocal critic of the proposal so far, journalist Quentin Wilson, said that older cars should face greater scrutiny in annual tests rather than an exemption. “You’re talking here about cars like the Escort Mk1 and the Cortina,” he said. “They were hardly at the zenith of rust proofing or technical efficiency and need constant maintenance. To think that we could see 1970s Fords, Vauxhalls or Hillmans taking to the road unsupervised really worries me.”

However, others, including the Department for Transport, have noted that older cars, owned by enthusiasts, generally receive better maintenance than newer cars.

The Department for Transport’s proposal will remain available for public comment until November 2.

See original article at" https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/10/04/both-great-britain-and-european-union-look-to-scrap-inspections-for-older-cars-but-cant-agree-on-cutoffs/