Dear Sir,

I have started a petition, http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68377 , the wording of which is self explanatory, regarding the proposals to restrict and tax diesel cars by 2020. I hope that you can give this some publicity in your club forum &/or magazines, as many of your members will be affected. We need 100,000 signatures by next March to trigger a Parliamentary debate, so any help you can offer will be very much appreciated.

Please be aware that the prime targets are London and pre 2006 diesels, but it is clear that all pre 2006 vehicles, both petrol and diesel, will be affected, and other towns and cities are champing at the bit to make a few extra bob.

The point of the petition is not to argue the virtues of either petrol or diesel, but to highlight the unfairness of this sort of retrospective indirect taxation, which has an adverse affect on the less well off. It is also a pointless exercise, as most 2006 vehicles will be 14 years old by 2020 and will have been scrapped; according to Honest John at the Telegraph, the average life of a new small car is now 7 years, by which time the residual value is so low that repairs become unviable.

A lot of motorists feel they are often ripped off by Government and that they are not represented by a single body that can lobby on their behalf, unlike Historic vehicle owners who have the very successful FBHVC. Until such time as we have proper support, I am afraid it is up to us and this is my meagre effort.

Colin Gray.   Telford