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Originally posted by: b-evans@ix.netcom.com
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From: b-evans@ix.netcom.com
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Date: Sat, 12 Jun 1999 19:32:11 -0700
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To: spridgets@autox.team.net, healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: From The Times of London
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Vintage cars face scrapheap
under new EU motor laws
by Stephen Bevan, Transport Correspondent
BRITAIN'S classic car lovers could be forced to scrap
thousands of their most cherished historic vehicles under
European legislation originally designed to deal with the
problem of abandonded cars.
The draconian rules, drawn up because of the 600,000
vehicles abandoned throughout the European Union each year,
have already been approved by the European parliament and
could be in place by the end of the year.
Britain is the world's most important classic car market and is
home to more than 300,000 such vehicles. Under the
legislation, local authorities would acquire sweeping powers to
redefine disused vehicles as waste, meaning they could be
removed - even from private property - and sent to recycling
centres. It also allows for strict controls on the storage and
treatment of vehicles that are no longer roadworthy, even if
they are vintage vehicles awaiting restoration. Again,
environmental health inspectors would be empowered to
remove such vehicles from private property.
Members of the European parliament realised that the law
could affect historic cars, many of which are kept off-road by
private owners, or which are stored as broken-down parts.
They tabled an amendment to exempt them, but it was
removed, apparently at the insistence of the German green
parties.
British motoring organisations say the legislation, which the
government will be under pressure to implement, could
threaten up to 50,000 cars. Edmund King, executive director
of the RAC's research arm, said: "Our fear is that inspectors
could descend on people's homes, take away an old car they
are lovingly restoring and turn it into a lump of scrap metal."
Vintage cars in roadworthy condition or any kept in formal
collections, such as that of Lord Montague of Beaulieu,
founder of the National Motor Museum in Hampshire, would
not be under threat - but the majority of vintage cars are in the
hands of private individuals. They include many people from
the music world, such as Nick Mason, Pink Floyd's drummer,
Chris Rea and Jay Kay, singer with Jamiroquai.
Last week Kay, who owns a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, a 1973
BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile and 11 other vehicles, said he was
shocked. Stirling Moss, the motor racing legend who also
collects historic cars, said: "There's a lot of junk around, but
some of these cars are irreplaceable. They are part of our
cultural heritage." Jackie Marriott, organiser of today's London
to Brighton classic car rally, said the legislation threatened the
future of the event.
Caroline Jackson, Tory MEP for Wiltshire North and Bath,
who supported the amendment, said: "The European
commission seems to be dancing to the greens' tune."
The battle to save the cars is, however, not over yet. The
RAC and the UK Motor Sports Association have asked
Michael Meacher, the environment minister, to put pressure
on his European colleagues.
Peter Jorgensen, a spokesman for Ritt Bjerregaard, the
environment commissioner, said: "This is typical of the
anti-Brussels stories that are always appearing in Britain."
A car marketed to families with young children has a worse
record in crash safety tests than any other vehicle tested, say
US researchers. The Pontiac Trans Sport, the American
version of the Vauxhall Sintra, was rated as poor during tests
by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
About 43,000 Sintras have been sold in Europe since 1997.
Vauxhall says the Sintra has been withdrawn from sale in
Europe, but it is promoted on the company's Internet site
without any warning about its test performances. A Vauxhall
spokesman said: "The Pontiac Trans Sport and the Sintra
fulfilled the legal requirements."
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