5.4 Other alternatives would be to securely attach trade plates over existing number plates by means of clips or introduce plates with a series of pre-drilled holes so that each plate can be secured to the vehicle. Again, the triangular holder could form part of the rectangular plate. A more radical proposal would be to dispense with the plate altogether and replace it with a windscreen strip similar to existing sun visors. Any plate re-design will have to take into account the need for the registration number to be easily read. The standard font and adequate sized lettering would contribute.
Rapid readability is important for road traffic enforcement to trace the driver of a vehicle.
Readability by the naked eye and by camera is equally important. 5.6 Today, very few companies have the equipment necessary to easily produce aluminium plates in large numbers. The outlay of capital makes the acquisition of the necessary manufacturing equipment an unattractive option. From October 2000, DVLA s appointed contractor has been instructed to produce all replacement trade plates in acrylic. To all intents and purposes, they are manufactured to the same specification as existing aluminium plates and appear to be equally durable.