61KK Number Plate
61KK Number Plate
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Regplates have over 99% of all available number plates available to buy online 24 hours a day. We are members of MIRAD, APRT & CNG trade dealers associations.
All number plates are transferred in accordance with the DVLA.
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Unfortunately 61KK Number Plate From Regplates.com has now been sold, however, click below to search for similar numbers we do have available or call us on 01482 627 628
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Our team of trained personalised number plate staff will professionally handle your transfer as swiftly as possible with all paperwork change over handled for you including the V5, tax disc and MOT certificate. We offer advice without technical 'jargon', and are always competitive on price. |
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If you are looking to sell a private plate, our personalised registration plates valuations department can give you an accurate market value on your registration number by post or by e-mail.
Personalised Cherished Number Plates
Since their humble beginning in 1903, cherished numbers have continued to increase in popularity often adding the finishing touch to our prized possessions and very often prove to be a valuable investment.
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The First Number Plate Ever Issued A1 assigned in 1903 |
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The Motor Car Act 1903, which came into force on 1 January 1904, required all motor vehicles to be entered on an official vehicle register, and to carry number plates. The Act was passed in order that vehicles could be easily traced in the event of an accident or contravention of the law. Vehicle registration number plates in the UK are rectangular or square in shape, with the exact permitted dimensions of the plate and its lettering set down in law.
You can find out where your personalised registration number plate was originally issued here.
NUMBER PLATES:
THERE are a number of mistakes that can be made on personalised number plates that could see drivers land a £1,000 and also fail their MOT. Here is what they are and how to avoid them.
Illegal number plates could see thousands of Brits face fines and even make them fail their MOT.
Certain personalised number plates have the potential to be costly errors for drivers.
While a personalised number plate can be, to some people, a nice form of expression, they could also be costly.
According to the company, however, 15,000 drivers across the UK have been fined for having an illegal plates over the past three years.
The worst offenders come from London with 3,058 offences clocked while North Wales and Norfolk also totted up over 1,100 each.
This includes plates that did not conform to regulations, cars without a front or back plate or ones with indistinguishable/obscured plates.
It is a legal requirement for a car’s numberplate to be clear and legible and failure to meet these criteria can result in £1,000 fine, loss of the personal registration number and/or a failed MOT.
There are other modifications that drivers can also be penalised for.
These include using the wrong colours for the lettering or for the background of the plates.
Number plates should have black characters on a white background at the front of the car and on a yellow background on the back of the car.
Spacing is also crucial and drivers should ensure that the characters on their plate are correctly spaced.
Non-confirming backgrounds or stickers that could interfere with the legibility of a plate are also factors that carry a fine risk.
The standard font used on all number plates is ‘Charles Wright’ and it is the only one deemed acceptable for motorists to have.
Similarly, the flag on the left hand side of the plate must also be correct.
Acceptable flags include: The EU flag, The Union Jack, The St George Cross, The Scottish Saltire (St Andrew Cross) and The Red Dragon of Wales.
Relevant letters accompanying these flags must be also:
GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
WALES or Wales
Failure to comply could also land drivers with a fine and/or MOT failure.
The staff of state Sen. Andy Dinniman’s office recently presented him with a historic Pennsylvania Senate license plate from 1933 as a holiday gift.
The plate, which features the number “19S,” dates back to the time when Chester County’s 19th Senatorial District was represented by the late state Sen. William Hannum Clark, who served from 1927 to 1935.
Clark, born at Doe Run in 1877, attended public schools in West Marlboro Township and the Maple Grove Institute in Delaware County before graduating from Coatesville High School. According to Senate records, he pursued the bonding business and served as superintendent of Chester County Highways, automobile inspector, and register of wills before being elected to the state Senate on Nov. 2, 1926.
Clark, who succeeded T. Lawrence Eyre, served five terms from 1927 to 1935 (at that time Pennsylvania state senators served two-year terms).
“While we may know little about state Sen. Clark, he certainly does seem to have had an interest in cars, as county superintendent of highways and automobile inspector,” said Dinniman, D-19. “I thought this was a really neat, unique, and thoughtful gift and want to thank my staff.
“When you have the opportunity and privilege to serve in public office, you join part of a long line of individuals and leaders who stood for and represented the values of your region. This really helps put that into perspective,” he added.
Dinniman said his staff came across the historic license plate in an online auction after being alerted to it by his Chester County colleague, state Rep. John Lawrence, R-13, who has an interest in historic automobiles.
Dinniman, a historian, history buff, and professor by trade, serves on the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, is known for his interest in local history and preserving local artifacts associated with his office. The building that houses his office, located at One North Church Street in historic downtown West Chester, has been home to various businesses since the early 1800s. From 1914 to 1947, it was a candy store and confectionary, Marakos Candy Kitchen, and Dinniman has preserved a clock and menu from the store that remains on display.
BRITS splashed the cash on private plates last year to the tune of £111million.
Personalised registrations spelling out names, initials, comedy phrases and car models all proved popular.
And the top five priciest plates netted almost £250,000 between them for the DVLA at auction.
The lucrative sales have generated over £2billion in the last 25 years for the agency.
The most expensive ever was recorded in November 2014 when "25 O" sold to a Ferrari dealer for £518,000.
And the popular "O" series featured twice in 2017's top list with "45 O" and "96 O" both going under the hammer for over £50,000 - one now residing on a white Audi.
But top of the tree in 2017 was "JSK 1", sold for £56,200 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel auction back in May, and now living on a black Mercedes.
The "812 S" plate sold for £45,500 - most likely to a Ferrari collector or dealer looking to twin it up with the 812 Superfast model launched last year.
"1 HSV" was the fifth priciest plate of 2017 with DVLA records showing it's yet to be registered with a motor.
Plates are sold at auction to buyers looking to add a personal touch to their beloved motors or to plate dealers and investors who stock up on popular registrations.
Most of the time, the agency successfully eradicates any plates that may shock or offend the British public.
But every now and then, one slips through the net.
While they may possess the largest number plate database in the UK with millions of conventional registrations, the website also holds some of the most hilarious and outrageous licence plates DVLA-approved to roam Britain’s roads.
And considering their comical value, some of the best plates carry with them an unbelievable price tag – close to half a million pounds in one instance.
Naturally, the Sun Online Motors team sifted through their archives to compile a list of the top 10 most outrageous number plates in the UK – but don’t be surprised if your favourite shocking plate has an equally outrageous asking price.
10. TTII TTS – £8,499
9. F4 KKA- £16,800
8. 69O MY – £6,999
7. PUII HER – £3,499
6. OR64 SAM – £40,000
5. OO04 OOK – £10,472
4. I5 EXY – £95,000
3. B4I FKU – £9,999
2. MRI3 UTT – £495,000
1. PEN 15 – £110,000
ormerly the most outrageous number plate in Britain, the infamous CUII NNT registration has been banned.
Despite resembling one of the most explicit words in the English language, the licence plate slipped through the DVLA prohibited list in 2016, and was given a value of £6,000.
Some of the country's rudest number plates have been revealed - and could be yours for the cool price of £495,000.
Outrageous plates such as TTII TTS, F4 KKA and PEN 15 are available to buy online for those inclined to splash out on an expensive joke.
Each year, new plates are approved by the DVLA, with a cheeky handful slipping under the invigilators' noses and finding themselves onto Britain's streets.
The list will normally include personalised plates spelling out rude words or potentially offensive messages, as well as religious or homophobic terms.
The list of personalised plates the DVLA believes to be in poor taste runs into many pages.
For the 2016 registration year, the DVLA's censors refused a large number of plates, including B16 COX, CR16 PLE, PR16 CK and BU16 ERY.
Some of the more vulgar terms to be outlawed by the licensing agency include B16 NOB, FA16 OTS and TT16 TTY.
But plenty of new number plate combinations will be allowed, and names are expected to be a high seller.
The private number plate market in the UK is worth around £2.3billion a year, and some number plates can sell for astonishing amounts of money.
In 2014, the plate '25 O' sold for a record-breaking £518,000 at a DVLA agency auction, beating the previous record by nearly £100,000.
A publicly-funded committee meets twice a year to decide which number plates are unsuitable for Britain's roads.
The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, says the Ghanaian public is increasingly becoming intolerant of perceived corruption and poor service delivery at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
According to him, many of the authority’s clients consider it to be the worst in terms of service delivery, thereby creating avenues for middle men, popularly known as ‘goro boys,’ to take advantage of the stifling bureaucratic system at the place.
He has therefore asked management of the DVLA to quickly deal with the ‘goro boys’ syndrome at their various offices.
Halfords has commissioned a survey which asked whether the respondents were in favour of number plates for cyclists. A “convincing” 59 percent of respondents were in favour of such a measure, said Halfords, with the retailer claiming the suggestion would “encourage responsible riding.”
However, the survey has been criticised by motoring and cycling groups. AA president Edmund King told BikeBiz: “The AA believes that the introduction of number plates for cyclists would be impractical and unnecessary – police already have the powers to stop cyclists.”
Cycling UK’s head of campaigns and advocacy Duncan Dollimore said: “[The] government has consistently reached the conclusion that such proposals are disproportionate and unnecessary.” And British Cycling's policy advisor Chris Boardman said: "No country in the world requires bicycles to be registered because it does not serve the public interest – it would be hugely expensive and drastically cut the number of people who cycle."
The number plate proposal from one of the leading UK retailers of motor-vehicle number plates is included in a press release that has been teased out to the mainstream media over the last couple of days. (The embargo ended one minute ago.) It’s possible that the press release will result in some negative coverage for cycling, especially following the recent blanket media coverage given to Matthew Briggs’ campaign to incorporate death and serious injury cycling offences into the Road Traffic Act.
The online survey of 2,042 adults was carried out in August by YouGov and has led to the production of “Sharing the Road”, a 20-page infographic-heavy report produced for Halfords by its external PR company. The document has a foreword by the retailer’s chief customer officer Karen Bellairs, who said “we wanted to examine whether there was a genuine willingness among cyclists and motorists to share the road.”
The survey asked whether cyclists should have to take proficiency tests before being allowed to cycle on the public highway, and also asked whether motorists should be required to ride bicycles as part of the driving test. (The answers, respectively, were 50 percent and 18 percent in favour.) Respondents were also asked whether penalties should be increased for cyclists “who don’t abide by the Highway Code” and ditto for motorists who “drove aggressively near cyclists.” (86 percent and 80 percent respectively.)
Article continues below
While Halfords may claim that it is not itself advocating for cyclists to be forced to carry number plates, or for sanctions against cyclists to be increased, it’s clear that they were the questions put to respondents by YouGov, and provided to them by Z PR of London on behalf of Halfords.
“What our new research makes very clear is that the car is still the nation’s favourite means of getting around,” said Bellairs, adding that “there is massive support among motorists for better training, more cycle lanes and improved facilities for cyclists.” (45 percent of survey respondents said there ought to be “dedicated cycle lanes on all roads”.)
Bellairs also claimed that the survey showed, with no evidence provided other than the online questioning, that there was a “genuine willingness” from Britain’s motorists to “share the road.” She said that this is something that “Halfords, which champions motoring as well as cycling, is very keen to foster.”
The Sharing the Road report advises cyclists to “be a peacock” and to “always make sure you’re wearing bright clothing when cycling, whether it’s a high vis jacket or a high vis vest” but it does not contain similar advice for motorists (Halfords missed a trick here, it could have suggested motorists buy its spray-cans of yellow paint so they can make their cars more conspicuous).
The Halfords press release – which is headlined "Britons back tougher penalities for people who cycle aggressively but drivers and cyclists want to work better together" – states that “65% agree that cyclists should be required to wear reflective clothing, to give them the best chance of being seen.”
Required? As in forced? That won’t endear the company to many cycling customers.
There was no survey result – or, presumably, any question – about the compulsory wearing of helmets for everyday journeys, either for cyclists or motorists. However, there were questions and answers about cycle servicing. A perhaps surprising 48 percent of those asked said they could mend cycle punctures. And, in what will be news to independent bike shops, 43 percent of Brits can “tighten a loose chain”; 37 percent “know how to adjust their own brakes”; and 31 percent “can clean their gear mechanisms.” (Those answers should make one wary of all the others.)
The report goes on to claim that an “overwhelming 93% think it would be beneficial for all education on road safety to be aimed at cyclists and motorists,” as if it isn’t already.
Responding to the Halfords report, the AA president told BikeBiz:
“Most cyclists are drivers and many drivers are cyclists so we need to live in harmony with each other. Rather than harsher penalties all round, we believe it is preferable to promote better training, infrastructure and positive attitudes."
King said he didn’t believe there was a requirement for harsher penalties for law-breaking cyclists:
“There are already penalties in place for cyclists who don’t abide by the Highway Code and we believe that targeted enforcement alongside education courses are a more effective way of making our roads safer.”
The AA president added that existing laws need to be enforced first.
“We would prefer to see targeted police enforcement through schemes such as Operation Safe Pass whereby the police target dangerous drivers [who pass too closely to cyclists],” said King.
While careful not to criticise Halfords directly (the retailer and Cycling UK partnered for a project earlier this year) Dollimore was critical of the report’s timing: “Given the uneven tone of the current debate on cycling, it was perhaps optimistic to expect this survey would be a constructive addition to the discussion.”
He added: “We already knew some people instinctively think regulation and testing of cyclists is the answer. Those people frequently fail to appreciate the practicalities of imposing and enforcing regulations on children, the costs involved, or the public health and other implications of putting up further barriers to cycling. Fortunately government has consistently reached the conclusion that such proposals are disproportionate and unnecessary.
“Ultimately, there are opinions expressed in this survey which we agree with, and others we don't, but the truth is this is merely a summary of what people said in response to a series of questions. It's far better, when suggesting a need for change, to assess the arguments for and against, and this is precisely the point we will make to government as it considers its forthcoming cycle safety review."
Boardman said "compulsory proficiency tests and number plates, are quite obviously non-starters and cannot be regarded as a serious contribution to the public debate on road safety."
He added: "The reality is that [British Cycling], and other cycling organisations, already work with groups representing pedestrians and motorists to find ways to make our streets safer for everyone. Indeed Halfords themselves are part of our #ChooseCycling Network of British businesses that strongly believe more cycling is crucial to help business thrive, to encourage people to live healthier lives and to make Britain a greener, less congested and more pleasant place to live."
Boardman – who has an eponymously named brand stocked by Halfords – stressed that "laws should be developed using evidence, focusing proportionately on those with the ability to cause most harm. Around 1,800 people die on British roads annually and more than 99 percent involve collisions with motor vehicles."
Record numbers of motorists are driving cars fitted with personalised numberplates amid a surge in “auto vanity”.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sold a record 374,968 registrations last year, up 12 per cent in 12 months and almost five times the total in the mid-90s.
The trade in numberplates made more than £110 million for the Treasury in 2016-17 alone, a record annual total.
The rise coincides with an increase in the number of registrations made available by the DVLA, combined with a sharp rise in the value of rare plates over the past two decades.
In an era when we’re all supposed to be flaunting our individuality, the trend for personalised car number plates has apparently never been higher. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which sells new and never-issued registrations, sold 374,968 last year, an increase of 12%.
Among private dealers, who sell pre-owned plates, business is just as good.
“For the past five years, [the market has] been steadily rising.” It is thought one reason is a personalised plate makes the age of the car less obvious. But he also says social media has played a huge part. “It’s, ‘Hey, everybody, look at me’,” he says.
People post pictures of their new cars on Instagram, and adding a private plate “seems to be something that people can use to boost their social media reach”.
At the entry-level end of the market, “registrations that start at £250, on average there are 800 of those sold every day.” He says one fairly common customer is the parent who buys a personalised plate for their child on passing their driving test, to go with a new car. “My typical client would be someone in their 40s or 50s, they’ve got a bit of money sitting about and always fancied a personalised number plate.”
At the extreme end, plates can fetch more than £500,000. In 2014, one classic-car dealer bought a “25 O” plate, reportedly for his Ferrari 250 GTO, for £400,000 (the final price, including fees, was £518,000) and a “250 L” for £130,000.
“The numbers that were selling for £1,000 in 1980 now sell for £150,000. What probably changed it was in the late 80s, when the government started to sell numberplates. We in the trade all thought it would devalue the numbers, but it didn’t, it just got more people interested.”
A personalised plate is “a prestigious thing. There’s a little bit of vanity about it,” says Saperia. As for those of us who believe it’s the mark of a bit of a berk, Saperia points out that the DVLA’s sale of personalised plates “bring more than £100m every year to the treasury”.
THERE are a number of mistakes that can be made on personalised number plates that could see drivers land a £1,000 and also fail their MOT. Here is what they are and how to avoid them.
Illegal number plates could see thousands of Brits face fines and even make them fail their MOT.
Certain personalised number plates have the potential to be costly errors for drivers.
While a personalised number plate can be, to some people, a nice form of expression, they could also be costly.
According to the company, however, 15,000 drivers across the UK have been fined for having an illegal plates over the past three years.
The worst offenders come from London with 3,058 offences clocked while North Wales and Norfolk also totted up over 1,100 each.
This includes plates that did not conform to regulations, cars without a front or back plate or ones with indistinguishable/obscured plates.
It is a legal requirement for a car’s numberplate to be clear and legible and failure to meet these criteria can result in £1,000 fine, loss of the personal registration number and/or a failed MOT.
There are other modifications that drivers can also be penalised for.
These include using the wrong colours for the lettering or for the background of the plates.
Number plates should have black characters on a white background at the front of the car and on a yellow background on the back of the car.
Spacing is also crucial and drivers should ensure that the characters on their plate are correctly spaced.
Non-confirming backgrounds or stickers that could interfere with the legibility of a plate are also factors that carry a fine risk.
The standard font used on all number plates is ‘Charles Wright’ and it is the only one deemed acceptable for motorists to have.
Similarly, the flag on the left hand side of the plate must also be correct.
Acceptable flags include: The EU flag, The Union Jack, The St George Cross, The Scottish Saltire (St Andrew Cross) and The Red Dragon of Wales.
Relevant letters accompanying these flags must be also:
GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK
ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
WALES or Wales
Failure to comply could also land drivers with a fine and/or MOT failure.
The staff of state Sen. Andy Dinniman’s office recently presented him with a historic Pennsylvania Senate license plate from 1933 as a holiday gift.
The plate, which features the number “19S,” dates back to the time when Chester County’s 19th Senatorial District was represented by the late state Sen. William Hannum Clark, who served from 1927 to 1935.
Clark, born at Doe Run in 1877, attended public schools in West Marlboro Township and the Maple Grove Institute in Delaware County before graduating from Coatesville High School. According to Senate records, he pursued the bonding business and served as superintendent of Chester County Highways, automobile inspector, and register of wills before being elected to the state Senate on Nov. 2, 1926.
Clark, who succeeded T. Lawrence Eyre, served five terms from 1927 to 1935 (at that time Pennsylvania state senators served two-year terms).
“While we may know little about state Sen. Clark, he certainly does seem to have had an interest in cars, as county superintendent of highways and automobile inspector,” said Dinniman, D-19. “I thought this was a really neat, unique, and thoughtful gift and want to thank my staff.
“When you have the opportunity and privilege to serve in public office, you join part of a long line of individuals and leaders who stood for and represented the values of your region. This really helps put that into perspective,” he added.
Dinniman said his staff came across the historic license plate in an online auction after being alerted to it by his Chester County colleague, state Rep. John Lawrence, R-13, who has an interest in historic automobiles.
Dinniman, a historian, history buff, and professor by trade, serves on the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, is known for his interest in local history and preserving local artifacts associated with his office. The building that houses his office, located at One North Church Street in historic downtown West Chester, has been home to various businesses since the early 1800s. From 1914 to 1947, it was a candy store and confectionary, Marakos Candy Kitchen, and Dinniman has preserved a clock and menu from the store that remains on display.
BRITS splashed the cash on private plates last year to the tune of £111million.
Personalised registrations spelling out names, initials, comedy phrases and car models all proved popular.
And the top five priciest plates netted almost £250,000 between them for the DVLA at auction.
The lucrative sales have generated over £2billion in the last 25 years for the agency.
The most expensive ever was recorded in November 2014 when "25 O" sold to a Ferrari dealer for £518,000.
And the popular "O" series featured twice in 2017's top list with "45 O" and "96 O" both going under the hammer for over £50,000 - one now residing on a white Audi.
But top of the tree in 2017 was "JSK 1", sold for £56,200 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel auction back in May, and now living on a black Mercedes.
The "812 S" plate sold for £45,500 - most likely to a Ferrari collector or dealer looking to twin it up with the 812 Superfast model launched last year.
"1 HSV" was the fifth priciest plate of 2017 with DVLA records showing it's yet to be registered with a motor.
Plates are sold at auction to buyers looking to add a personal touch to their beloved motors or to plate dealers and investors who stock up on popular registrations.
Cherished Number Auction Listing Now Online
The cherished registration auction listing is now available online at the Image Reg website.
Prices are still subdued so its a perfect time to invest in cherished plates.
We also offer a bidding service so why not let us take the strain for you and have over 13 years of experience at hand.
Contact us now to find our more, 01482 627 628.
Most of the time, the agency successfully eradicates any plates that may shock or offend the British public.
But every now and then, one slips through the net.
While they may possess the largest number plate database in the UK with millions of conventional registrations, the website also holds some of the most hilarious and outrageous licence plates DVLA-approved to roam Britain’s roads.
And considering their comical value, some of the best plates carry with them an unbelievable price tag – close to half a million pounds in one instance.
Naturally, the Sun Online Motors team sifted through their archives to compile a list of the top 10 most outrageous number plates in the UK – but don’t be surprised if your favourite shocking plate has an equally outrageous asking price.
10. TTII TTS – £8,499
9. F4 KKA- £16,800
8. 69O MY – £6,999
7. PUII HER – £3,499
6. OR64 SAM – £40,000
5. OO04 OOK – £10,472
4. I5 EXY – £95,000
3. B4I FKU – £9,999
2. MRI3 UTT – £495,000
1. PEN 15 – £110,000
ormerly the most outrageous number plate in Britain, the infamous CUII NNT registration has been banned.
Despite resembling one of the most explicit words in the English language, the licence plate slipped through the DVLA prohibited list in 2016, and was given a value of £6,000.
Some of the country's rudest number plates have been revealed - and could be yours for the cool price of £495,000.
Outrageous plates such as TTII TTS, F4 KKA and PEN 15 are available to buy online for those inclined to splash out on an expensive joke.
Each year, new plates are approved by the DVLA, with a cheeky handful slipping under the invigilators' noses and finding themselves onto Britain's streets.
The list will normally include personalised plates spelling out rude words or potentially offensive messages, as well as religious or homophobic terms.
The list of personalised plates the DVLA believes to be in poor taste runs into many pages.
For the 2016 registration year, the DVLA's censors refused a large number of plates, including B16 COX, CR16 PLE, PR16 CK and BU16 ERY.
Some of the more vulgar terms to be outlawed by the licensing agency include B16 NOB, FA16 OTS and TT16 TTY.
But plenty of new number plate combinations will be allowed, and names are expected to be a high seller.
The private number plate market in the UK is worth around £2.3billion a year, and some number plates can sell for astonishing amounts of money.
In 2014, the plate '25 O' sold for a record-breaking £518,000 at a DVLA agency auction, beating the previous record by nearly £100,000.
A publicly-funded committee meets twice a year to decide which number plates are unsuitable for Britain's roads.
The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, says the Ghanaian public is increasingly becoming intolerant of perceived corruption and poor service delivery at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA).
According to him, many of the authority’s clients consider it to be the worst in terms of service delivery, thereby creating avenues for middle men, popularly known as ‘goro boys,’ to take advantage of the stifling bureaucratic system at the place.
He has therefore asked management of the DVLA to quickly deal with the ‘goro boys’ syndrome at their various offices.
Acrylic Number Plates
Acrylic number plates sigify the registration mark of a vehicle.
They can be made of different materials, but more commonly seen are metals and acrylics. But as to how the standard specifications on the use, make and display guidelines of number plates are, it would vary with every city and country. There are some who would prefer to have their number plates more personalized. As long as how it is obtained abides with the regulations, such is possible. In fact, motorists of today are starting to appreciate better the value of vanity plates.
Halfords has commissioned a survey which asked whether the respondents were in favour of number plates for cyclists. A “convincing” 59 percent of respondents were in favour of such a measure, said Halfords, with the retailer claiming the suggestion would “encourage responsible riding.”
However, the survey has been criticised by motoring and cycling groups. AA president Edmund King told BikeBiz: “The AA believes that the introduction of number plates for cyclists would be impractical and unnecessary – police already have the powers to stop cyclists.”
Cycling UK’s head of campaigns and advocacy Duncan Dollimore said: “[The] government has consistently reached the conclusion that such proposals are disproportionate and unnecessary.” And British Cycling's policy advisor Chris Boardman said: "No country in the world requires bicycles to be registered because it does not serve the public interest – it would be hugely expensive and drastically cut the number of people who cycle."
The number plate proposal from one of the leading UK retailers of motor-vehicle number plates is included in a press release that has been teased out to the mainstream media over the last couple of days. (The embargo ended one minute ago.) It’s possible that the press release will result in some negative coverage for cycling, especially following the recent blanket media coverage given to Matthew Briggs’ campaign to incorporate death and serious injury cycling offences into the Road Traffic Act.
The online survey of 2,042 adults was carried out in August by YouGov and has led to the production of “Sharing the Road”, a 20-page infographic-heavy report produced for Halfords by its external PR company. The document has a foreword by the retailer’s chief customer officer Karen Bellairs, who said “we wanted to examine whether there was a genuine willingness among cyclists and motorists to share the road.”
The survey asked whether cyclists should have to take proficiency tests before being allowed to cycle on the public highway, and also asked whether motorists should be required to ride bicycles as part of the driving test. (The answers, respectively, were 50 percent and 18 percent in favour.) Respondents were also asked whether penalties should be increased for cyclists “who don’t abide by the Highway Code” and ditto for motorists who “drove aggressively near cyclists.” (86 percent and 80 percent respectively.)
Article continues below
While Halfords may claim that it is not itself advocating for cyclists to be forced to carry number plates, or for sanctions against cyclists to be increased, it’s clear that they were the questions put to respondents by YouGov, and provided to them by Z PR of London on behalf of Halfords.
“What our new research makes very clear is that the car is still the nation’s favourite means of getting around,” said Bellairs, adding that “there is massive support among motorists for better training, more cycle lanes and improved facilities for cyclists.” (45 percent of survey respondents said there ought to be “dedicated cycle lanes on all roads”.)
Bellairs also claimed that the survey showed, with no evidence provided other than the online questioning, that there was a “genuine willingness” from Britain’s motorists to “share the road.” She said that this is something that “Halfords, which champions motoring as well as cycling, is very keen to foster.”
The Sharing the Road report advises cyclists to “be a peacock” and to “always make sure you’re wearing bright clothing when cycling, whether it’s a high vis jacket or a high vis vest” but it does not contain similar advice for motorists (Halfords missed a trick here, it could have suggested motorists buy its spray-cans of yellow paint so they can make their cars more conspicuous).
The Halfords press release – which is headlined "Britons back tougher penalities for people who cycle aggressively but drivers and cyclists want to work better together" – states that “65% agree that cyclists should be required to wear reflective clothing, to give them the best chance of being seen.”
Required? As in forced? That won’t endear the company to many cycling customers.
There was no survey result – or, presumably, any question – about the compulsory wearing of helmets for everyday journeys, either for cyclists or motorists. However, there were questions and answers about cycle servicing. A perhaps surprising 48 percent of those asked said they could mend cycle punctures. And, in what will be news to independent bike shops, 43 percent of Brits can “tighten a loose chain”; 37 percent “know how to adjust their own brakes”; and 31 percent “can clean their gear mechanisms.” (Those answers should make one wary of all the others.)
The report goes on to claim that an “overwhelming 93% think it would be beneficial for all education on road safety to be aimed at cyclists and motorists,” as if it isn’t already.
Responding to the Halfords report, the AA president told BikeBiz:
“Most cyclists are drivers and many drivers are cyclists so we need to live in harmony with each other. Rather than harsher penalties all round, we believe it is preferable to promote better training, infrastructure and positive attitudes."
King said he didn’t believe there was a requirement for harsher penalties for law-breaking cyclists:
“There are already penalties in place for cyclists who don’t abide by the Highway Code and we believe that targeted enforcement alongside education courses are a more effective way of making our roads safer.”
The AA president added that existing laws need to be enforced first.
“We would prefer to see targeted police enforcement through schemes such as Operation Safe Pass whereby the police target dangerous drivers [who pass too closely to cyclists],” said King.
While careful not to criticise Halfords directly (the retailer and Cycling UK partnered for a project earlier this year) Dollimore was critical of the report’s timing: “Given the uneven tone of the current debate on cycling, it was perhaps optimistic to expect this survey would be a constructive addition to the discussion.”
He added: “We already knew some people instinctively think regulation and testing of cyclists is the answer. Those people frequently fail to appreciate the practicalities of imposing and enforcing regulations on children, the costs involved, or the public health and other implications of putting up further barriers to cycling. Fortunately government has consistently reached the conclusion that such proposals are disproportionate and unnecessary.
“Ultimately, there are opinions expressed in this survey which we agree with, and others we don't, but the truth is this is merely a summary of what people said in response to a series of questions. It's far better, when suggesting a need for change, to assess the arguments for and against, and this is precisely the point we will make to government as it considers its forthcoming cycle safety review."
Boardman said "compulsory proficiency tests and number plates, are quite obviously non-starters and cannot be regarded as a serious contribution to the public debate on road safety."
He added: "The reality is that [British Cycling], and other cycling organisations, already work with groups representing pedestrians and motorists to find ways to make our streets safer for everyone. Indeed Halfords themselves are part of our #ChooseCycling Network of British businesses that strongly believe more cycling is crucial to help business thrive, to encourage people to live healthier lives and to make Britain a greener, less congested and more pleasant place to live."
Boardman – who has an eponymously named brand stocked by Halfords – stressed that "laws should be developed using evidence, focusing proportionately on those with the ability to cause most harm. Around 1,800 people die on British roads annually and more than 99 percent involve collisions with motor vehicles."
As popularity grows, the prices reached for the most expensive plates are always increasing. As of 2008, the record price for a number plate is £397,500 paid at auction in September by an anonymous buyer for the plate S 1. This was originally owned by Sir John H A MacDonald, the Lord Kingsburgh and was Edinburgh's first ever number plate. Car design entrepreneur Afzal Kahn paid £375,000 on 25 January 2008 for F 1 previously owned and sold by Essex County Council and affixed originally in 1904 to the Panhard et Levassor of the then County Surveyor. £330,000 was spent on M 1, sold at auction in Goodwood on 7 June 2006.
Record numbers of motorists are driving cars fitted with personalised numberplates amid a surge in “auto vanity”.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sold a record 374,968 registrations last year, up 12 per cent in 12 months and almost five times the total in the mid-90s.
The trade in numberplates made more than £110 million for the Treasury in 2016-17 alone, a record annual total.
The rise coincides with an increase in the number of registrations made available by the DVLA, combined with a sharp rise in the value of rare plates over the past two decades.
In an era when we’re all supposed to be flaunting our individuality, the trend for personalised car number plates has apparently never been higher. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which sells new and never-issued registrations, sold 374,968 last year, an increase of 12%.
Among private dealers, who sell pre-owned plates, business is just as good.
“For the past five years, [the market has] been steadily rising.” It is thought one reason is a personalised plate makes the age of the car less obvious. But he also says social media has played a huge part. “It’s, ‘Hey, everybody, look at me’,” he says.
People post pictures of their new cars on Instagram, and adding a private plate “seems to be something that people can use to boost their social media reach”.
At the entry-level end of the market, “registrations that start at £250, on average there are 800 of those sold every day.” He says one fairly common customer is the parent who buys a personalised plate for their child on passing their driving test, to go with a new car. “My typical client would be someone in their 40s or 50s, they’ve got a bit of money sitting about and always fancied a personalised number plate.”
At the extreme end, plates can fetch more than £500,000. In 2014, one classic-car dealer bought a “25 O” plate, reportedly for his Ferrari 250 GTO, for £400,000 (the final price, including fees, was £518,000) and a “250 L” for £130,000.
“The numbers that were selling for £1,000 in 1980 now sell for £150,000. What probably changed it was in the late 80s, when the government started to sell numberplates. We in the trade all thought it would devalue the numbers, but it didn’t, it just got more people interested.”
A personalised plate is “a prestigious thing. There’s a little bit of vanity about it,” says Saperia. As for those of us who believe it’s the mark of a bit of a berk, Saperia points out that the DVLA’s sale of personalised plates “bring more than £100m every year to the treasury”.
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