Majority of classic car owners oppose ‘anti-tampering’ rules

A large majority of classic car owners oppose the Department for Transport’s proposal for new anti-tampering laws. 

The suggested rules would outlaw tampering with any system or component of a vehicle intended for use on the road. 

However, some 84 percent of 4,500 people surveyed by insurance broker Footman James rejected the idea. They feared it could harm the UK’s classic car, motorsport and custom aftermarket industries.

Legitimate interests protected?

The Government’s ‘Future of Transport regulatory review’ consultation, which ran from September to November 2021, contained the proposal to create new offences for tampering with vehicles. These would include:

• Supplying, installing, or advertising a ‘tampering product’ for a vehicle or Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM)
• Removing, reducing the effectiveness of, or rendering inoperative a system, part or component for a vehicle/NRMM and advertising such services
• Allowing for use or providing a vehicle or NRMM that has had the operations described in the previous two points performed on it

The Department for Transport stressed these rules should not ‘prevent legitimate motorsport activities’ or ‘prevent restoration, repairs or legitimate improvements to vehicles’.

Instead, the Government says it wants to tackle ‘modifications that have a negative impact on road safety, vehicle security and the environment’.

A threat to automotive culture

Managing director of Footman James, David Bond, said: “The proposals by the Government are hopefully in their infancy as they appear somewhat ill-thought-out. The classic vehicle industry not only accounts for less than one per cent of vehicle emissions in the UK, but also generates £7.2 billion worth of economic activity every year – which is only increasing. 

“The offences described in this report could be applied to all vehicle restoration, modification, and competition preparation services, with potential to jeopardise not only the economic benefits we feel from the classic vehicle scene, but the immense cultural and historical record that enthusiasts inadvertently look after and display.”

It should be noted that the proposals are currently only intended to apply to new vehicles. 

However, as Garry Wilson, CEO of the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance, notes: “This is aimed at new vehicles, but had inadvertent ramifications for our sector. We have asked that classic vehicles are exempted from the bill, which is supported by a range of members of parliament we have met. However, the point on secondary legislation could be easily missed, possibly allowing a future Secretary of State to make future changes to the bill that could see any exemptions overridden.”

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