Mr. Peadar Ward:

I thank the joint committee for giving us this opportunity to address it on matters to do with historic vehicles. Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club Limited, IVVCC, was formed in 1963 to cater for owners of veteran and vintage vehicles and enthusiasts who did not possess vehicles. We are happy to come before the committee to support the Vintage Veteran Trucks Association in Ireland, one of our affiliated clubs. The IVVCC's mission statement is to be the voice, custodian and facilitator of the historic vehicle movement in Ireland; to promote and facilitate the preservation, ownership, appreciation and use of historic vehicles; to promote public awareness of the historic vehicle movement; and to protect the regulatory environment affecting the use of historic vehicles.
In 2013 the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club celebrated 50 years, which is an achievement for any voluntary or community-based organisation. We now boast a membership of approximately 650, with more than 47 affiliated clubs nationwide. Most importantly, the IVVCC is the national representative of the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, FIVA, which is a worldwide organisation. FIVA has more than 85 member organisations in 62 countries and represents more than 1.5 million historic vehicle enthusiasts. Its motto is "Yesterday's vehicles on tomorrow's roads". In January 2013 it enacted the Turin Charter, a policy paper designated to "preserve and safeguard the history of vehicles including their engineering, form, functions, and documented histories and their many and diverse relationships with society and social environments".
It is important to point to the history of self-propelled goods vehicles which dates back to Cugnot's steam dray of 1769 and which long pre-dates that of the passenger car. While the preservation of historic cars can be challenging and often expensive, the preservation of goods vehicles is far more challenging and expensive. Most goods vehicles clocked up considerably more mileage than private motor cars; consequently, few of them remain today. Many were on the road for ten or more hours a day during their business usage.
Apart from the greater use made of these vehicles in their day, the storage problem associated with their preservation is a major inhibiting factor in their preservation. It is imperative that an historic vehicle be kept under cover and protected from the elements, as otherwise they will deteriorate very quickly. This is particularly challenging in the case of larger vehicles such as those preserved by members of the Vintage Veteran Trucks Association in Ireland. It is important that these vehicles be preserved for posterity as they are a very important part of our social history. Many preserved goods vehicles are painted and display sign writing in the livery of the owner's business by way of advertisement which emphasises long-established businesses. Examples of such livery can be seen in the IVVCC centenary publication, Historic Motoring in Ireland, which was published last year.
The value of preserving goods vehicles can be seen in the social or industrial history these vehicles recall. Some have been restored in the livery of certain utilities, recalling projects such as rural electrification, the postal service of bygone decades, some of our defunct industries and agricultural infrastructure such as the old creamery network. Many are displayed at static shows where there is a charity fundraising dimension, while the heritage they recall has an educational value for adults and children.
I would like to address the definition of historic vehicles. The IVVCC and FIVA consider all mechanically propelled vehicles manufactured more than 30 years ago to be historic vehicles, the only exception being vehicles designed to run on tracks such as trains. This clearly includes cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles and passenger busses. FIVA's administration office is based in Brussels and iactively engaged in monitoring new regulations which might have an effect on the use of historic vehicles. In this context, it is relevant to bring to the attention of the committee the outcome of several months of discussions between FIVA and the relevant European institutions. At the end of December 2013 the European Council and the European Parliament reached agreement on the proposal to revise the roadworthiness testing directive. The committee should note the agreement text has yet to be formally adopted by the two institutions. This is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2014. FIVA understand the agreement will define vehicles of historic interest as any vehicle considered to be historic by the member state of registration or one of its appointed authorising bodies and which fulfils all of the following conditions: it was manufactured or registered for the first time at least 30 years ago; its specific type, as defined in national or EU law, is no longer in production; and it is historically preserved and maintained in its original state and has not sustained substantial changes in the technical characteristics of its main components. This definition clearly includes goods vehicles over 30 years old. It is the view of FIVA and the IVVCC that historic goods vehicles should be treated no differently from other historic vehicles in respect of roadworthiness testing.
I would like to provide the committee with some basic statistics for the use of historic vehicles. Historic vehicle-related activity is worth €16 billion to the European Union annually. More than 70% of historic vehicles travel less than 1,500 km per year and anecdotal evidence indicates historic goods vehicles are likely to travel less than half of this figure. A total of 29% of historic vehicle owners have a household income of less than €30,000 per year and 78% of historic vehicles are valued at less than €15,000. These statistics are derived from a 2006 survey conducted by FIVA in 11 EU countries, including Ireland. FIVA is undertaking a similar research project this year which will be launched on 26 March in 15 EU countries.

I have copies of that to make available to the committee.

In conclusion the IVVCC asks the committee to recommend that the legislation be amended to ensure that all historic vehicles be treated in the same manner in all respects including the exemption from roadworthiness testing.