Earlier this month, the Department for Transport published a consultation on the possibility of exempting certain historic vehicles from statutory testing.

This can be found at www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/ dft-2011-27 The consultation offers two options: to do nothing (leaving the current arrangement in place); or to exempt all vehicles made before a particular date. Three choices of cutoff date are offered - 1920, 1945 or 1960.

The proposals do not differentiate between different categories of vehicle, and the consultation suggests that there are too few pre-1960 vehicles to justify having different rules for different groups. In other words, if there is to be an exemption, it is likely to apply to all vehicles manufactured before the chosen date, whatever they are, and to whatever use they are put.

These proposals also appear to be ambiguous about submitting vehicles for a voluntary MoT test if they fall into the exempt category. Unlike other consultations, where the interests of historic vehicle owners are obvious, there are powerful arguments for and against all options. FBHVC needs to know what historic vehicle owners think before responding to the consultation. Time is short (the consultation closes towards the end of January) and the only practical way to assess opinion is by means of an on-line survey that it now accessible at https://www.surveymonkey. com/s/FBHVCMoT. We strongly advise that the consultation document is read before taking part in the survey. Please use all practical means to bring this information to the attention of historic vehicle owners.