Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, summarised the potential benefits of this environmental initiative. "Green number plates could unlock a number of incentives for drivers and increase awareness of cleaner vehicles on our roads", he argued. They might also "show people that a greener transport future is in our grasp."
Motoring organisation has its say:
The AA is in favour of green number plates. President Edmund King said: "We support this concept which shows that the electric vehicle revolution is moving from amber to green." However, he suggested that such cars are still too expensive for many people. Government ‘financial incentives’ must play a part too, he claimed.
There are further points to note. Green number plates:
- Can be fitted to any new zero emission car
- Could be retrofitted to any existing zero emission car
- Cannot therefore be fitted to any hybrid, petrol, or diesel.
Number plate format
The British Number Plate Manufacturers Association revealed the characteristics a green number plate must have. The ‘green flash’ must be between forty and fifty millimetres wide, for example. It must also be retroreflective for ‘twenty-four hour visibility’ and a precise shade of green. Specifically, it must be ‘Pantone 7481C’.