road tax

[TerryG]

on a tractor at 14MPH

You speed demon!

[tractorman]

Ah, you're thinking of the Fergy - I tweaked that a little so it could go at 15MPH! The only advantage of a petrol engine on a tractor!!

[TerryG]

After making your tweaks did it go something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUls3x9Nyss

[mach1rob]

BTW - I called it VED to save typing "car tax" in full!

They don't like you calling it ROAD TAX! VED gives them an excuse not to spend it on the roads

Should be no need to have the vehicle examined, date of registration usually suffices, the only time it's an issue is when it was built before the cut off, but registered after, a few days is usually accepted no questions, anything over, then you'll need either a Heritage Certificate or similar from an authorised club to verify the build date was before the cut off.

[Martin Evans]

I have everything crossed that this lot manage to hang on past April next year!

Me too, as the V8 is now next in line as you might say. If they win in 2015, that should bring in the rest of the family fleet, so long as they keep granting extentions.

This isn't a plug for the Tory Party; I don't have a lot of time for most (Maybe even all) of the types, who fill that big house by the Thames but there's no doubt Brown was a classic hater (Mind you, what about Boris and the 15 year old taxi rule ) and with his political offspring in charge, in the red corner, I'd rather see things stay as they are.

As to the way this was done, I believe it was the expedient way to do it. Sam Glover of Practical Classics has set up another online petition, the aim of which is to formally reintroduce rolling exemption at 40 years – see http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49330. Whilst I have signed it, I did so simply to add numbers, otherwise it could give the impression that nobody cares. However, I think it’s ill timed (I have pointed this out to PC but as usual, without the courtesy of a reply). We maybe a sizeable minority but we are still a minority, possibly subject to indifference or unfounded assumptions on the part of Mr and Mrs Mondeo. Reintroducing rolling exemption could be portrayed as another Tory reward to the rich. With an election due no later than 2015, this would not be good press and I think slipping an extra year in quietly, was the expedient way to do it (And I hope they do it next year). Those who need to know will find out about it.

If we are to see a return to rolling exemption, I think it would follow a Tory win at the next election. Without wishing to comment on them, it was after the 1983 election, that the Thatcher government began to push through some of the more ideological and controversial measures. If the Tory party are ideologically sympathetic to this measure, they may feel more confident to show this during a second term (Especially if they have an outright majority). If they bring back rolling exemption now, it will bring the matter more into the public gaze (Though I’m amazed at how many non classic owners still believe the 25 year exemption still exists; perhaps because it’s introduction was more publicised than it’s curtailment) and if Labour win, they will simply reverse it anyway.

Some may ask why, give or take a bit, £200 a year matters (Given the way the Winter of 2006 - date continues, it works out at a lot per mile). It seems to matter and Mike Authers, the MG Midget specialist (http://mgmidgets.com/), has said that it has a disproportionate effect on the values of tax free Midgets. For me I just want to see all historic vehicles recognised as being historic, as this may offer exemption against future anti banger legislation, of which you could say Boris Johnson’s taxi rule is a foretaste. At present, so far as officialdom is concerned, my MGB GT V8 is no different from a clapped out pre 2001 car, of over 1549cc and is subjected to the same punitive rate of duty.

[rich.]

It will probably be relegated to your local VOSA testing station or MOT tester. I'm sure some bureaucrat somewhere has thought how to do it in the least convinient way.

he must be french

[JPB]

Boris' taxi rules have boosted the taxi business by releasing loads of perfectly sound, usable cabs to the regions where otherwise, more expensive and newer cabs would need to have been bought as replacements. This trend has resulted in dozens of specialist taxi sales at the BCA sites outside the capital. For that, the rest of the UK is grateful. With the possible exception of Liverpool whose residents haven't yet forgiven the sackless, floppy-haired twunt for opening his fat, ignorant, old Etonian gob.

The downside to this is that the last of the Morpeth Sierra taxi fleet has finally been decommissioned and sold to a private hire operator. I'll give it another year before they scrap the poor thing.

[TerryG]

You aren't tempted to add it to your fleet then?
The only Sierra I have ever had was a saphire cosworth. Now that was a fast car.

[mach1rob]

I think Martin sums it up well, all the public will see is give it to those that can afford a classic ie the rich. They have no comprehensible thought that not all classic car owners have £50,000 E-Types and Astons in the garage, and the majority are hard working people, much as themselves (with the exception of the idle feckless part of society that think work doesn't apply to them) who struggle to maybe keep a classic, and also run a modern vehicle too.

I'm in the fortunate position that the Dolomite is tax free, and with classic insurance, costs me less a year than it does to tax our modern car for just 6 months. If I had to pay VED on it, then it would probably spend 6 months in the garage. Not all of us are Alan Sugar or Simon Cowell!

I do think they should standardise it with Europe seeing as they all like to be part of the EU at 30 years. That way there can be no ifs or buts it gets to 30, and it qualifies for free VED running from the date of registration, not make, that way would also save red tape (another thing they keep saying they're keen on getting rid of) as it's on the log book, so no Heritage Certificate, club approval etc is needed to prove the dates.

[Martin Evans]

That sounds fair enough. I don't know how imported cars would manage, such as a Californian MGB or foreign made car, that has spent it's life outside the UK. There must be those amongst us, who have brought in such cars; does the log book, from the country of origin/first registration, prove it's age, for official purposes (If factory records are not available) I suppose if you bear in mind, what the old saying says, about rules, fools and wise men, you will arrive at a solution