It’s a London problem now, but the all-encompassing nature of ULEZ legislation is a menace across Europe.
If you live outside the Capital and think that the threat of the Ultra Low Emission Zone is being exaggerated, please think again because the long-term threat as ULEZ expands and spreads to other towns and cities is placing a whole generation of cars in grave danger. And not just emerging classics, but copper-bottomed cars that have been part of our scene for years such as TVRs, Lancia Delta Integrales, Jaguar XJ-S, the Lamborghini Countach, early Lotus Elise and so many more. Plus, think of those cusp classics (Ford Racing Puma?) that now may not survive to have that status.
Overdramatic? We don’t think so. When this scheme rolls out, if people across the country no longer have the freedom to use their cars as they want and when they want, so demand will fall. And, as a result, so will values for all but a handful of museum pieces. It is crucial to remember at this juncture that the importance of values is not always about someone profiting from a car. On the contrary, healthy values make it worth investing in the car, spending money on mending or maintaining it so it is preserved for future generations. Without that equation making economic sense, far fewer of these cars will be cherished and their ranks could be decimated.
Having been caught up in the same net as ‘old bangers’, the entire breed of modern classics could be severely damaged by this arbitrary legislation.
