Global warming, climate change, all these things are just a dream come true for politicians. I deal with evidence and not with frightening computer models because the seeker after truth does not put his faith in any consensus. The road to the truth is long and hard, but this is the road we must follow. People who describe the unprecedented comfort and ease of modern life as a climate disaster, in my opinion have no idea what a real problem is.
London’s streets are seeing a peculiar transformation. Thanks to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) policy, there’s been a surge in the purchase of classic cars. The reason? Vehicles manufactured before 1983 are exempt from the £12.50 ULEZ charge, being classified as ‘historic vehicles’.
Echoes of Cuba’s Classic Car Streets
“Londoners are snapping up classic cars in a bid to dodge Sadiq Khan’s ULEZ charge that will be expanded to cover all of the capital’s boroughs next week,”
reports the Daily Mail. This move by Londoners to sidestep the ULEZ charge is eerily reminiscent of Cuba’s streets filled with classic cars from the 1950s, following the cut-off of auto imports from the United States.
The Ironic Outcome of a Misguided Policy
Dealers across London have noted a significant uptick in sales of cars from this era. Merlin McCormack, owner of Duke of London, a vintage car dealership in Brentford, pointed out the irony, stating that while these cars are exempt from the ULEZ charge,
“the older cars are more polluting than its modern equivalent.”
It’s almost humorous how a policy, supposedly aimed at reducing emissions, is inadvertently promoting the use of vehicles that might just be exacerbating the problem.
A Policy’s Unintended Loophole
Resale and auctioning websites are showcasing a variety of classic cars that will be exempt from the ULEZ charge. From a 1970 Hillman Imp Super to a 1973 Alfa Romeo 2000, the options are plenty for those looking to dodge the charge. As the article mentions,
“Under traffic calming scheme, that hopes to reduce the number of polluting vehicles from the capitals roads, Transport for London allows a 40-year window that allows exemptions for cars made in the early 1980s.”
While some might argue that the intention behind the ULEZ policy is to tackle toxic air pollution, this is clearly cover for implementing Central Planning Command and Control Green Climate Policies. The likelihood of increased toxic air pollution under the policies is simply hilarious. The unintended consequence of promoting older, more polluting vehicles, and these old vehicles REALLY do pollute, is a testament to the unforeseen outcomes of such misguided policies. One can’t help but smirk at the irony of it all.
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