The proposals might also affect current and ‘historic’ competition cars so that should be of concern to all the folk who enjoy motor sport as well as those who attend classic car shows, like the thousand or so enthusiasts who attended Biggar Vintage Show at the weekend, and all the other thousands who attend such shows right around the country!
In seeking to tackle poor maintenance, emissions tampering and deliberate ‘delete’ modifications, the Department for Transport is proposing tougher rules to ensure vehicles continue to meet the emissions standards they were built to comply with when new.
Under these proposals, vehicles could be deemed non-compliant and their owner fined if emissions control systems no longer operate as originally approved. The consultation also goes further, indicating that the removal or manipulation of certain systems – such as DPFs, GPFs, catalytic converters, AdBlue/SCR systems and diesel EGR systems – would be treated as illegal, regardless of whether there is an impact on the vehicle’s real-world emissions.
These proposals could leave modern classic owners with no lawful repair route for failed emissions components.
According to Footman James, the classic car insurance specialists, modern classics could be under threat. Many cars, LCVs, campervans and trucks from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s are now entering classic status, but were built with increasingly complex emissions equipment, including catalytic converters, lambda sensors, EGR systems, early engine management, DPFs, AdBlue systems and manufacturer-specific control software.
As these cars age, original parts can become unavailable, prohibitively expensive, or unsupported by manufacturers. Existing legislation demands that owners fit only type-approved components to the emissions control system, yet vehicle manufacturers are not required to keep these components in production indefinitely.
Plans may catch cherished, well-maintained vehicles as well as deliberate emissions cheats with Footman James leading the call for clear exemption where compliant repair is impossible, unavailable or disproportionate
The consultation document is open until 11:59pm on 6 September 2026 and anyone likely to be affected or worried about future effects and impact is being urged to respond before consultation closes on 6 September 2026.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/in-use-emissions-of-road-vehicles-regulating-environmental-impacts/regulating-environmental-impact-of-in-use-emissions-of-road-vehicles
It is being suggested that owners and enthusiasts should make three points to Government:
1. Enforcement should target deliberate emissions defeat, not responsible preservation.
2. Owners should not be penalised where compliant repair is impossible, unavailable or disproportionate.
3. Classic and modern classic vehicles should be given a clear exemption where required emissions components are no longer reasonably obtainable.
And if you’re feeling up to it, add in your own thoughts, opinions and insights in your own words – but keep it clean and respectful!
Note: Pics for illustrative purposes only.
