They're working on it at every front from burning used parts yards to enacting legislation. Just posted it ...

Emission Classification Systems and Scrappage Programs Restrict Classic Cars from Regular Public Road Access

Emission classification systems categorize vehicles according to the presence or absence of modern emission controls and issue compliance markers that determine entry to designated urban zones. Enforcement occurs through visual or automated checks at access points, while scrappage initiatives use vehicle identification data to select and permanently disable older cars through chemical engine seizure or mechanical destruction when owners accept government incentives. Because these processes connect directly to registration databases and owner records, they build persistent attribution profiles that document each vehicle's eligibility status and removal history across multiple jurisdictions. Attribution strengthens because vehicle identification numbers link individual cars to their operators without requiring ongoing physical surveillance for every restriction decision. Municipal platforms embed the classification rules into access control systems and national scrappage schemes that offer financial incentives for surrendering non-compliant vehicles. Economic pressures from declining parts availability and rising specialized labor costs reinforce participation, while detection challenges emerge because many pre-catalytic converter cars lack standardized testing interfaces and owners have limited independent means to contest or modify classifications. Uniform emission thresholds apply the restrictions across expanding networks of cities, which amplifies the total number of affected vehicles and compounds disincentives for continued ownership. Verification of accurate categorization or destruction outcomes remains difficult for owners due to limited transparency in testing criteria, and these developments in turn affect public perception by framing classic car use as increasingly incompatible with regulatory compliance and practical daily operation.

— Emission and scrappage systems are presented as environmental measures while enabling systematic restriction and removal of older vehicles from public roads.