Thanks for all the replies.

The US approachs detailed by Martin & Lannis are the way I feel things will eventually go over here - you may be able to keep using older vehicles, but with restrictions aimed at making their use as everyday vehicles unviable (low mileage limits, log books, geo-fencing, day-time use only etc.)

An article in a classic car magazine recently higlighted DVLA "surprise" at the lack of take-up of "Historic" registration. I wonder at what point there will be an automatic changeover of status 40 years after first registration ?

Is that far fetched / paranoia ? I am not so sure, based on a recent experience getting a replacement V5C for my MZ ISDT replica. I applied for this last month with the normal tax class of "bicycle", but the V5C came back as "Historic" despite the bike not having a valid MoT or having been on the road for over 15 years.

Germany also has a couple of routes to a "Historic" regiatration for vehicles over 30 years old. One - the "H" registration - is just for the vehicle concerned and allows use of older vehicles at reduced tax cost & useage within Low Emission Zones without meeting the current criteria. But it appears that this scheme may be under threat due to large numbers of old vehicles being re-registered "Historic" to reduce operating costs for users & "not being what the scheme was initially envisaged for ". The other scheme - the "07" registration plate - very much constrains useage (to just short distance visits to repairers and exclusively classic vehicle events - just going out to fill up or go for a ride is not allowed) and requires the filling in and carrying of a logbook detailing the reason for each use. This registration plate can be applied to more than one vehicle, so is primarily aimed at collectors with larger fleets. Access to either scheme is beurocratic & involves up-front and ongoing costs - also in the case of the "07" plate having and keeping a clean licence !

Our Govenment have show a willingness to change vehicle taxation on a whim - see the recent change from no tax to normal tax rates for electric vehicles as an example. So at what point does the "Net Zero" lobby get useage of "Historic" registered vehicles constrained (they are already lobbying to get what they call as "older more polluting" vehicles off the roads) in the name of "Saving the Planet" despite there actually being no appreciable benefits ?

Still undeceided.

Nigel B.