December/January 2022

NEWS 4 AFTERMARKET DECEMBER/JANUARY 2022 www.aftermarketonline.net GSF Car Parts has become the official new name for The Parts Alliance, which will trade under one brand across its 170 sites going forward. GSF Car Parts President and COO Mark Eburne said: “GSF Car Parts already has an established national presence with both the independent motor trade and the general public, so we have an excellent springboard on which to launch this unified brand.” The Parts Alliance will return to being a trading group for GSF Car Parts, Dingbro and Qualvecomm. The Parts Alliance announces rebrand ULEZ: Classics drive through loophole With London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for cars recently expanded out as far as the North Circular and South Circular and more UK cities following the capital’s example by setting up their own ULEZ, it could seem like older cars might disappear in many areas. However, with cars over 40-years-old exempt, and a small cohort of slightly younger vehicles able to drive through a Euro 4 loophole, could garages actually see a resurgence of classics and quirks coming through the door? David Bond, MD at classic vehicle insurance specialist Footman James thinks so: “Classic cars are actually covered by two exemptions. First, if the vehicle was registered before 1 January 1973, it will be automatically exempt from the ULEZ charge, and second the previously mentioned rolling 40-year exemption. “Introduced in 2018 alongside the reforms to the MOT regulations, this rolling exemption means that any classic vehicle of more than 40 years of age will not have to pay the charge to enter such a zone. The cut-off works on a rolling basis, meaning that although last year the cut-off date was April 1980, this year the cut-off is April 1981.” David added: “As the 40-year exemption currently includes cars built in 1981, there are a host of surprisingly modern classics available which can be used while escaping the charge, including the Audi Quattro, the Mercedes-Benz W126 S Class, the Lotus Esprit Turbo, the Mk1 Golf Cabriolet, the BMW 650i, the Jaguar XK and even the Bentley Continental GT.” Within each zone, petrol vehicles must be Euro 4 compliant to escape the charge. This usually equates to being registered after 1 January 2006 to comply, although some cars registered before that date will also pass, such as the early BMW-era ‘new’ Mini Cooper. For diesel vehicles Euro 6 applies, meaning that if a car was produced before 1 September 2015, it is likely subject to the charge. London’s ULEZ originally came into force in April 2019, and since then 13 cities including Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bristol have set up their own. London’s ULEZ was expanded at the end of October. To check if a vehicle is London ULEZ- compliant go to: tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your- vehicle