URGENT - DVLA consultation on historic vehicle registration processes, how to answer

[Association Secretary]

Urgent news from the FBHVC


Good afternoon
 
This is an urgent call-to-action! 
 
You may be aware of the 9 May Government announcement of a wide-ranging consultation about the registration of historic vehicles https://www.fbhvc.co.uk/news/article/dft-and-dvla-launch-call-for-evidence-around-registering-historic-classic-and-rebuilt-vehicles . 
 
In total, the consultation asks 50 questions in 12 subject headings. It covers all historic vehicles - not solely cars - of all types, and are all represented within the Federation.
 
Please find attached a Press Release (in Word and PDF) explaining how the Federation has set out its provisional position on each of the areas and is calling for your feedback in an online questionnaire. 
 
We are seeking your club’s and your members’ feedback, along with that from our wider supporter membership and community.
 
This will help shape the Federation’s formal response to the consultation, on a topic of great importance that affects the entire movement. 
 
The consultation offers FBHVC member clubs the opportunity to shape the creation and evolution of policies to preserve our ability to restore, register, and use historic vehicles efficiently and fairly for tomorrow’s roads. 
 
We strongly encourage you to share this information – and importantly the link https://evidence.fbhvc.co.uk/ – with all your members and wider historic vehicle friends (such as through social media).
 
The more people who respond to us the better, as this will ensure that our collective voices will carry considerable weight. 
 
It’s taken a very long time - and a huge amount of extremely hard work by our dedicated team - to get to this position, as we battled on your behalf. 
 
Now, it’s over to you!
 
Kind regards
 
Mel Holley
Secretary, Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs Ltd
 
PO Box 1563
Peterborough
PE1 9AU
 
Tel: 01708 223111
Email: secretary@fbhvc.co.uk
 

[Nick Lettington]

Although I understand the association view on kit cars, I would like some clarity on the position regarding historical specials, such as Speedex, that sit in a bit of a grey area. Perhaps I read the federation position too quickly to get the gist... are we in too small a minority for consideration?

[Association Secretary]

This is from the FBHVC - the Association has no official view on it other than to circulate it to Member Clubs for their members to respond, you are at liberty to support, ignore or change the position shared in it.

In your case, you may wish to disagree with the proposed answer and share your reasoning, plus an alternative, with the FBHVC.

[Nick Lettington]

Federation, association... oops sorry! 

I'll let 'em know!

[Ivor Hawkins]

It all appears to be common sense to me, the only concern I have is the FIVA definition of a historic vehicle, where it says the vehicle “is not used as a means of daily transport” this could be the thin end of the wedge, limiting the use of our cars, so I will have to vote no on that one. Does anyone else agree?

[Alan]

I agree. I wouldn’t say my sevens are daily transport, but mostly they get used for none vintage car related things - like trips to the shops and the pub when it isn’t vintage car night. If the intent is to restrict usage then I’d very strongly disagree. But, surely, the DVLA don’t have the authority to do that. Do they?

[Austin in the Shed]

Looking on one of the Australian club’s newsletters they have to register to use their vehicles I believe,baby torque ? But unsure how it operates.

[John Mason]

If this is the thin edge of the wedge to stop us using our sevens (and other older/classic vehicles). To some extent it is the fault of quite a few owners who use them as cheap transport with no road tax or MOT and in some cases pollution charges. I believe they wish to bring it in to stitch up this loop hole.

John Mason.

[Charles P]

I agree. I wouldn’t say my sevens are daily transport, but mostly they get used for none vintage car related things - like trips to the shops and the pub when it isn’t vintage car night. If the intent is to restrict usage then I’d very strongly disagree. But, surely, the DVLA don’t have the authority to do that. Do they?

The Federation's support for separate registration stunned me. That is the thin end of a potential wedge.
If we want DVLA to invest in training and skills to deal with the challenges around the registration of our vehicles that costs time and therefore money. At the moment with free road tax we contribute nothing, which is a problem. If we want to use our cars with relative freedom we should pay some form of road tax.

[Peter Naulls]

I was very nervous when the free road tax was brought in as it seemed to give the government the moral authority to begin limiting our cars' use, however with road tax rates now widely varying perhaps this is less of a concern.

I would rather see a decision to make our existing registrations non transferable, even if there is an admin charge payable. This would seem a a good time to put that view forward, though I have to say I have little faith in the result of consultations reflecting the views of those who contribute.