Flags on number plates now legal

At last, having a national flag on your number plate will no longer be illegal.
It has taken eight years but at last drivers can choose to display either the English, Scottish, Welsh or Union Jack flag on their plate. The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 has been amended so that as from Monday 27th April, the use of these symbols on number plates is permitted as well as the use of the European Union circle of stars and the letters 'GB' which was originally the only legal flag allowed.

In 2001, then Transport Minister John Spellar, assured drivers that such flags would be allowed and DVLA officials indicated it would made legislation within a month. They also said during this time, police would take a 'relaxed view' to alleged offenders. However, in 2005, lifeguard Neil Prendergast was fined £30 by Greater Manchester Police for having a Cross of St George sticker on the front number plate of his Opel Corsa. There have been many other reports of such fines and probably many more that have not been reported.

Well eight years later, they have done what they have said they would and we can all happily drive without being stopped and fined for having flags on our number plates. Hooray!

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Islamabad's War On Number Plates

A little while ago we had reports of problems with people in the UK displaying the Welsh flag on their number plate and there are always reports of people mis-spacing registrations. Then of course there are criminals with fake number plates. However, if this happened in Islamabad, you could face charges for terrorism. It was decided during a meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police that motorists with no number plates or displaying fake number plates will be booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

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