National Numbers Articles

The Government’s scrappage scheme, which helps fund purchases of newer and more efficient vehicles, is now 75% used up according to figures released on Friday by the Department for Business. If the fund is used up by February this year, the scheme will come to its natural end.

The scheme offers purchasers a £2,000 discount when replacing old and inefficient vehicles with newer, more eco-friendly vehicles. It seems to have been a success because 318,628 new vehicle orders have been accepted since its inception in April 2009. The scheme was extended last year to allow newer vehicles (V-reg cars and eight-year-old vans) to qualify.

The fund still contains enough money to subsidise another 82,000 new vehicle orders, so if you’ve been considering taking advantage of the scheme, take action now to ensure you can still benefit from the savings.

Of the 38 vehicle manufacturers signed up to the scheme, Toyota is offering a similar incentive. Their new ‘Swappage’ scheme allows purchasers of selected Toyota models to swap their seven to 10 year old vehicle, i.e. W-reg and 52-reg number plates, for a £2,000 saving on an eligible new Toyota Yaris, Toyota Auris or Toyota Avensis.

The vehicle for trading must be DVLA registered, insured, and have a valid MoT certificate. The registered keeper of the vehicle must have owned the vehicle for the last 12 consecutive months.

A greater incentive is offered to customers who choose the Toyota Avensis because it is built in Derbyshire, UK. For this swap there is an additional £500 available on T2 models and £750 on TR and T4 models.

Other car manufacturers such as Chevrolet and Mercedes-Benz are offering similar swappage schemes that extend beyond the Government deadline.

For fantastic personalised registrations to suit Toyota or any other vehicle make or model, try a number plate search on our web site, or call us today on 01642 36 37 38.

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The Scottish international and Cardiff City footballer Ross McCormack left his personalised number plate lying in the road following an accident back in October. The player was later found to have been drink-driving when he crashed his Range Rover Sport when out in Cardiff.

McCormack had been celebrating with friends following a 4-3 win for his team against Sheffield United earlier in the day. After a few drinks he thought he was sober enough to drive but lost control and crashed his vehicle into a fence beside a restaurant in Cardiff Bay.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash and the player left the scene following the accident. However, his number plate R444 MCC was found by police and traced back to McCormack and his home address which was only a mile away. The 23-year-old was then breathalysed and found to be almost twice over the legal limit.

McCormack was later sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates Court and was given a 17-month driving ban, a fine, plus the option to undertake a rehabilitation course. The footballer was also disciplined by Cardiff City FC.

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The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has amended the UK’s new car registration forecast for 2009 by 100,000 units since its last quarterly revision back in July. This rise would suggest that the impact of the government’s Scrappage Incentive Scheme has been generally positively received by the British public.

With new car sales continuing to improve, and October experiencing the biggest rise yet – up 31.6 percent compared to October 2008 with 168,000 cars sold – 20 percent of all sales were accredited to the scheme.

Paul Everitt, the SMMT chief executive explained:

“The Scrappage Incentive Scheme has had a demonstrably positive impact on new car registrations in 2009 and will continue to do so into 2010. SMMT’s latest forecasts confirm that the recovery remains fragile and government needs to continue to give priority to measures that support consumer and business confidence.”

If you have just purchased a new vehicle yourself, you may wish to know that there are many excellent bargains to be found online on a huge range of personalised registration plates. Adding this individuality to your new car can be one of the best ways to celebrate your buy and give it the best finishing touch possible.

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A Bugatti Veyron is now the proud owner of the world’s most expensive number plate. The number plate, which reads ‘F1’, would be perfect for the newly crowned F1 champion Jenson Button- although he recently sold his own Veyron, so maybe he’s looking for something a little faster these days!
The ‘F1’ number plate was sold by Essex County Council just over a year and a half ago- for the eye-watering price of £440,625. Essex County Council had owned the plate since 1904- when the Bugatti Veyron was just a very, very distant twinkle in the sky!
The car is capable of doing 0-62 mph in less than three seconds and has a top speed of 253mph.
Added to an already very expensive car, one can only begin to image how much this winning combination would fetch if it was ever offered up for sale. However, unless you have the bank balance of Jenson Button you’ll be saving your pennies for a very long time!
The Veyron, complete with its pricey number plate, will be on display at the MPH Show at London’s Earls Court from 5th- 8th November.

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