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EHOM
Page 100
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iftiEUN
BY LES OLDRIDGE, A.I.R.T.E., AM/MI.
Registration marks
REGISTRATION MARKS, or number plates as they are more generally called, are dealt with in the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1962 and the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 1964.
When a vehicle is registered the council assigns an index mark and a registration number to be fixed on the vehicle in a prescribed manner. Originally the letters preceded the numbers but when the various combinations were exhausted this was reversed. In 1963 the letters again came before the figures and the letter "A" was added at the end of the number, and in 1964 "B" was used in this way, in 1965 "C" and so on, the year' of first registration therefore being indicated on the number plate.
The mark is attached to the vehicle throughout its life, until it is broken up, destroyed or permanently exported. By special arrangement with the council concerned the mark may be transferred to another vehicle and this is sometimes done for persons who desire their initials to appear in the registration mark.
The size of the letters and figures on the plate, the shape of the plate and the arrangement of the inscription thereon are all laid down in the second Schedule to the Regulations. Until fairly recently the figures had to be white, silver or light grey on a black background, but now special reflective plates are permitted. In this case the front plate must have black letters and figures on a white background and the back plate the same coloured figures and letters on a yellow background. In each case only the background must be of reflective material which must be marked with the British Standard mark, B.S. AV: 145: 1967.
Special provisions are laid down where the plate is to be illuminated from behind by means of translucency of the letters and figures, and in this case the letters and figures must be white against a black background both by day and night.
In all cases the letters and figures must not be readily detachable but indelibly inscribed on or attached to the plate. The plate may be of cast or pressed metal with raised figures and letters. It must face squarely to the front or rear—except on motorcycles and invalid carriages where there are exceptions—and be easily distinguishable in normal daylight up to 75ft directly in front or to the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, from every part of an imaginary square of which the 75ft mentioned above is a diagonal, the number plate must be clearly seen excluding any part of the square within 10ft of the vehicle.
During the hours of darkness the rear number plate must be so illuminated that the letters and figures are clearly legible as in the previous paragraph, except that the distance and the diagonal of the square is reduced to 60ft.
It is an offence not to fix a registration mark or to allow it to become obscured or not easily distinguishable. There is a maximum fine of £20 for a first offence and £50 for subsequent offences. I am always looking for legitimate defences to traffic offences and there are two in this case. If charged with failing to fix the plate it is a defence to prove that no reasonable opportunity of registering the vehicle had occurred and that it was being driven on a road for the purpose of being registered.
In the case of the plate being obscured or not easily distinguishable it is a defence to prove that all reasonable practicable steps had been taken to keep it clean. This defence could be used, I would think, where a tipper was working on a muddy site and evidence could be given that the number plates were cleaned several times a day but in spite of this the plate was still dirty at the time the offence was detected. Obviously the defence would have no application if the plate was rusty, neglected and in need of painting.