Personalised number plates over the Net

Bidding for 30 different fully personalised vehicle number plates, which can be any mix of letters and numbers, opened yesterday.

The minimum bid for each plate is Lm500. Offers that can be bid through the Internet will have to be verified by the Malta Transport Authority before they are accepted.

Addressing a news conference yesterday, Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said the fully personalised plates were expected to get a positive response from the public.

He said that, although personalised plates cost more than the others, one in every five cars in Malta had a personalised plate. There were 55,741 personalised plates and 235,621 non-personalised ones.

One had to keep in mind that there were three motor vehicles for every four persons on Maltese roads, the minister said.

This highlighted the need for more safety on the roads to bring down the average of 15 fatal accidents a year, which was a challenge everyone had to be committed to.

The minister said that he would be going to Dublin this week, where he would sign the Road Safety Charter during a meeting of European transport ministers.

He said that the government would be improving arterial roads in the next two years, with the aim of reducing the dangers these roads could cause. But, it was drivers who shouldered the biggest responsibility to avoid accidents, he added.

Authority chairman Charles Demicoli said the authority was taking several measures to increase parking spaces on Maltese roads.

Garage owners who did not use their premises to park vehicles but still had a No Parking sign would be fined, he warned.

Another measure removed the ban on parking up to five metres from street corners in certain streets, such as one-way streets.

The minister said the new personalised plates would serve as a cash-generating exercise for the authority.

Personalised plates can only be used on private vehicles.

A considerable list of names to be auctioned will be published each month. One could also suggest plates for consideration to be included in the following month's list.

The personalised plates launched yesterday can, unlike the other plates, be sold by one car owner to another but a Lm200 fee would have to be paid to the authority.

Registration plates currently being bid for are: Elvis, Belt, B'Kara, M'Xlokk, George, Bad, King, EU 2004, EUMLT 04, EU010504, I Love U, Dude, Schumi, U2R1, Scorpion, 007, Anglu, The Boss, Cabrio, Qomos, 88888888, Mayor, His, Hers, SL 500, S5555555, Ice, Rush2112, Ferrar 1, and One.

During yesterday's news conference a new Transport Authority initiative aimed at reducing queues at the Licensing Directorate towards the end of each month was also announced.

A lottery will be organised every three months among those who would have paid their registration fee before the Friday falling before the 15th of the month.

The winner would be refunded the registration fee.

www.my-plate.com