29/08/2026
🚗 Is the Government trying to force older cars off the road? I don’t think so…
There’s a UK Government consultation running that could have a big impact on the motor trade, particularly around DPF, EGR, AdBlue and catalytic converter deletes.
I’ve seen people suggesting this is another attempt to get older petrol and diesel vehicles off the road.
Having read it, that’s not how I see it.
The Government specifically identifies:
🔧 DPF/GPF deletes
🔧 EGR deletes, including software deletes
🔧 AdBlue/SCR deletes
🔧 Catalytic converter removal
The proposal is essentially that if a vehicle was built to a particular emissions standard, its emissions-control system should continue to operate to that standard.
They’re NOT saying an older vehicle must meet today’s standards. A Euro 5 remains Euro 5.
One sentence caught my attention:
“Our focus will likely be upstream.”
To me, that suggests the real target is the businesses deliberately removing or electronically disabling these systems.
And personally, I welcome that.
We invest heavily in training, equipment and diagnostics to find the actual cause of emissions faults.
We’ve all heard:
“My AdBlue system needs £1,500 of repairs, but someone can map it out for £250.”
Why should garages diagnosing and repairing vehicles properly compete with someone simply switching the problem off?
However, there MUST be a distinction between a genuine fault and deliberately defeating the system.
DPFs block. NOx sensors fail. EGR valves fail. AdBlue systems fail. Catalysts deteriorate.
Motorists need a reasonable opportunity to have faults diagnosed and repaired.
Could tougher enforcement make some older vehicles uneconomical to repair? Yes.
But that’s different from deliberately legislating older cars off the road.
My view?
👍 Crack down on DPF, EGR, AdBlue and catalyst deletes.
But make sure the law clearly distinguishes between genuine failure and deliberate defeat.
The consultation closes 6 September 2026.
What do you think? 👇
