I have found it interesting reading the letters to the Times regarding the high taxes now put on older cars in Malta, especially as I drive a 12-year-old Rover here in the UK.

When my wife and I visited Malta in 2006, we were fascinated by the number of very old vehicles, not just the Maltese buses, but the old cars too. In Buġibba where we stayed, there was an old 1950s Hillman that many a British collectors would have done anything to get their hands on.

I have to agree with the majority of the comments made that these higher taxes are irrational. If an old car is well maintained, in my opinion it is possibly more environmentally cleaner than a brand new car. How so? Think of all the raw materials and energy that has to go into producing each new car, whereas the longer an old car that is clean running can keep going, and does not need replacing, it is saving all that manufacturing energy. In fact, older car drivers in Malta should be lobbying for cheaper taxes on the basis they are not using masses of energy needed to replace their car with a new one.

My old Rover, which has now done 114,000 miles, hums along at 70 mph on the motorway all day and has a low fuel consumption. My previous Rover which did 180,000 miles was the same.

It is we older car drivers who are the green motorists, not the new car drivers.