London had been proposing that an ‘old car surcharge’ on the Congestion Charge should apply to historic vehicles. This was primarily of concern as it was feared that this position might be taken forward into the whole Ultra Low Emissions Zone, which it’s now proposed will be wider than originally intended (out to the North and South Circular Roads) and be brought forward in time. But the Office of the Mayor has now decided that historic vehicles will not be subject to the surcharge nor will the exemption from the ULEZ be removed. The argument they have accepted is the sound one that the charging process in London is intended to affect behaviour by encouraging people to acquire newer vehicles with less emissions, which is clearly not applicable to historic vehicles which are being preserved in small numbers for the future.
At the same time a DEFRA consultation, Implementation of Clean Air Zones in England, has proposed that historic vehicles be exempted from LEZ requirements for the same reason.