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National Numbers Articles

Motorists Face 330 Per Cent Increase in Penalty Fines

March 27, 2012
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by matthew.smith

The DVLA have released alarming statistics, showing that automatic parking fines issued by private companies have risen dramatically following the introduction of new monitoring technology enforced in supermarkets and other car parks.

Electronic requests made to the DVLA from private parking companies for vehicle details had jumped from 272,215 in 2006/2007 to 1,167,713 in 2010/11.

This rise of 329 per cent has seen motorists hit with average parking fines of £80, and penalties such as these have cost drivers approximately £93million in 2010/11 compared with £21million in 2007.

The drastic rise in parking costs was exposed by Nick Smith, Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent, following a request to the DVLA.

Many constituents of Mr Smith had written to him, complaining about the car park attached to The Walk shopping precinct in Ebbw Vale.

“The car park had been there for years but had not been very professionally run. Lots of residents had become used to using it for free without any problem,” explained Mr Smith.

“When the car park was taken over by a new parking management company, Excel Parking Services, the complaints started to come in.

“Excel came in and began enforcing the rules very aggressively, but there was not enough improvement to the signage to let people know what was expected.”

Excel reject claims that their parking enforcement is too aggressive, stating: ”Great attention to detail is taken when specifying sign schedules for car parks managed by Excel Parking, and every effort is made to position such signs in the most prominent user friendly locations.

“We strongly refute the allegation that aggressive parking enforcement took place.”

Patrick Troy, chief executive of the British Parking Association (BPA) believes that technological advances are behind the increase as opposed to harsher enforcement.

“The technology has moved forward and it is less likely for you to see a warden strolling around a car park any more,” he explained.

“While there has been a rise in fines issued this way, it means fewer fines are being attached to windscreens.

“There are more out-of-town retailers and they are looking for ways to control their parking spaces so that they can keep their customers numbers turning over.”

To make your car stand out from the crowd and give it a unique touch that it deserves, just call the personalised registration experts at National Numbers, on 01642 363738.

DVLA Threat of ALL Local Offices Closure

December 14, 2011
Posted in DVLA,DVLA News,National Numbers News,Number Plate News,Number Plates — Written by Helen

A new proposal was published today that recommends closure of all of the 39 local DVLA offices in the UK, in a bid to save government money.

The proposals will be subject to consultation today, with closures possibly starting by the end of 2013. Savings are estimated at £28m per year – however more than 1,200 DVLA staff jobs could be lost.

Customers will be directed towards using centralised online services, which Roads Minister Mike Penning believes would “make dealing with the DVLA easier”.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) commented that the plans “make no economic sense”.

A move to a completely online system seems to have been happening for some time, as DVLA have created online ways to access their services, such as vehicle excise (tax) renewal.

However the offices are important to number plate customers. DVLA local offices perform important administrative duties and deal with necessary paperwork in private registration transfers.

The human approach ensures that paperwork is properly checked, and that no errors creep in to paperwork applications. Presumably, this responsibility will now fall to the individual when they complete online applications within the proposed new system.

It remains to be seen how an online service will fulfil he role of DVLA local office staff. As a number plate dealer with 30 years in the business, it does feel like a big change to operations at DVLA, and we hope that things run smoothly in introducing the new system.

National Numbers continue to offer attentive and helpful administrative support concerning number plate transfers in the same way we always have.

Qatar Set to Issue New Number Plates

August 29, 2010
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by matthew.smith

Qatar’s Traffic Department director, Brig Gen Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, has revealed that new number plates are set to adorn vehicles, with the country’s name embossed in English.

Al-Kharji explained: “Plans for the new number plates are going ahead. We are waiting for the material to arrive in Qatar.”

Qatar has seen a huge surge in vehicles on its roads, with approimately 10,000 extra vehicles every month.

New rules also state that tinted windows can only be added to the rear side windows of cars after paying a small fee, as all other windows will hamper security and safety.

Al-Kharji is keen to reveal that drivers with large, unpaid fines and those without registrations are on the Traffic Department’s radar.

He explained: “Our system automatically alerts us when a driver has reached all the points on the licence or has incurred fines running into thousands. We then send this to our patrol teams who trace the vehicle in question and ask them to clear the records.”

The Traffic Department director explained that insurance companies that refuse to offer vehicle insurance may face a fine of QR10,000.

“In such cases, a person can go to the nearest police station and file a complaint and action will be taken. These things now result in fines for the providers,” he added.

Driving related expenditures are on the up in Qatar, with third party insurance premiums and driving renewal prices recently raised.

Al-Kharji stated: “Insurance premiums in Qatar were one of the lowest compared to other countries in the GCC.”

He also defended the inclusion of theory classes being included at driving schools.

“Driving schools have been given one year to implement these changes, as we realise they must hire qualified trainers, IT trainers, computers and other associated items,” al-Kharji revealed.

He continued: “We remain in consultation with the industry and the provision for 15 hours could be changed to 10 hours. It is an evolution after all.

“Booklets in English and Arabic on traffic laws will be made available soon to motorists in the country.”

National Numbers can help you get the number plate you want. Just call 01642 363738 and let one of the experienced advisers guide you to the personalised plate that suits you.

Number Plate Recognition System Helping to Cut Crime

May 6, 2010
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by matthew.smith

Number plates are now being used in a six-month crackdown on unlawful motor vehicles.

Police in Bradford are trialling the technology as a part of an innovative new system which automatically scans the number plates.

Using a camera attached to the front and the rear of the police car, the vehicle registrations of every car that pass by are instantly scanned and displayed on a monitor inside the car.

The number plate information is scanned into a national database and automatically detects whether a car is uninsured, untaxed, stolen or involved in other criminal activity.

The system can detect a suspicious vehicle almost instantaneously by checking data against a national police information database, giving the police much improved response times and enhanced reasoning for stopping vehicles.

The operation has already been used to issue 2,200 fixed penalty notices and 535 vehicles have been seized since October.

On 22nd April, over 100 vehicles were stopped by police and teams from the DVLA and Customs and Excise during an operation on the A68.

More constabularies are installing this technology in their police cars after such impressive initial results.

There are a wide range of personalised number plates available, so whether you want to honour your pet by having its name on the front of your car, or perhaps the name of your favourite football team is more to your taste, National Numbers are sure to help you on your way to choosing your own, unique number plate.

National Numbers even offer an online auction bidding service, so you can be sure that you get the number plate you want at the best price, as our experienced bidders do all the hard work for you!

Call us on 01642 36 37 38 and tell us your interests. We’ll be more than happy to give you some great options at low prices.

National Numbers Sponsor Junior Squash Tournament

March 23, 2010
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by Helen
U-17 winner with Ed and Tom

Winner of the Boys U-17 Danny Hockborn with Ed and Tom from National Numbers

National Numbers has a strong sense of community – dealing with local suppliers and employing staff from our local area. Our sense of community and teamwork are enhanced through regional and local sport interest.

Many National Numbers staff members, including our chairman Eric Craggs, enjoy a game of squash at the end of a busy day. So it makes sense that National Numbers should sponsor regional squash tournaments for youngsters – and this is exactly what we’ve done!

When Norton Squash Club staged its very first England Squash Junior Tournament, National Numbers provided valuable sponsorship, and of course went along to watch the seventy entrants from across the North of England who competed in seven different categories.

U-11 winners with Ed and Tom

Under-11s winners Lewis Follin, David Collins, Michael Mattimore & Ben Merchant with Ed and Tom from National Numbers

The competition took place over two days, with the finals taking place on Sunday 21st February. Durham and Cleveland had a strong showing in the finals, with Redcar-based Joseph Dale scooping the Under-13 boys’ final championship. The overall winner on the day was Northumbria’s Michael Mattimore. In second place was Yorkshire’s Ben Merchant. Third place went to Northumbria’s Lewis Follin, and fourth place was awarded to Norton’s David Collins.

Norton Squash Club expressed their gratitude over National Numbers sponsorship of the event, and thanked all the volunteers that helped make the event such a great success.

Read more about National Numbers or search our website for personalised number plates.

National Numbers Offer DVLA Online Auction Bidding Service

February 11, 2010
Posted in Auctions,DVLA,National Numbers News — Written by Helen

National Numbers are offering a free online DVLA auction bidding service to those wishing to purchase personalised number plates online through the DVLA’s online auction service. The online service complements our well-established offline auction service; both aim to make using the DVLA‘s auction services easier.

Buying number plates at auction can often be a daunting task and requires time and dedication to observe and react as bidding unfolds. National Numbers like to take the hassle out of buying number plates. At our offline auction service, we bid on registrations for customers. Our online service works in exactly the same way – we will purchase the registration on your behalf, while you relax and put your feet up!

This new service is the first of its kind to be offered to number plate buyers. National Numbers Chairman, Eric Craggs, says:

“This excellent online auction service gives our number plate customers the same fantastic opportunities as offline auction buyers. Tell us what plate you are interested in and let us do the legwork for you – don’t miss out on this opportunity to buy your perfect registration at auction.”

DVLA’s online auction service allows buyers to bid on number plates in a similar way to the popular auction web site eBay.

Number plates are given a Reserve Price which is where the bidding starts. From there, a bidder submits their Maximum Bid, which cannot be seen by other bidders. The value of the Current Bid can be seen with the registration at all times throughout the auction process.

Proxy bidding allows competitive bidding on Lots, where the system increases bids on behalf of the bidder up to the value of their Maximum Bid. Users receive notification that they have been outbid so that they can increase their bid. However bids cannot be removed from the system once they have been placed.

One of the most interesting features of the service is that, for popular lots, the end time of the bidding is allowed to “slide”, meaning that the bid time is extended where there is lots of competition to bid on a plate.

Call us today on 01642 36 37 38 to see how we can help, or for more information read our auction testimonials from satisfied customers, or learn more about DVLA auctions.

Find Your “Perfect 10″ Number Plate!

December 11, 2009
Posted in National Numbers News,Number Plate News,Number Plates — Written by Helen

Our number plate customers’ are in for a treat – this week we purchased some of the 3,700 new 10-series number plates sold by the DVLA, so be sure to check out the new 10 series number plates on our web site.

There really is something for everybody in this release! We bought some fantastic combinations – in fact, this was our most successful new release ever. Meanwhile, over at DVLA, sales of the new 10-series number plates reached £2million on the first day of sale!

For the Ladies
Girls’ have plenty of options, with registrations such as ME10 DEY (Melody) and JU10 DTH (Judith); DO10 THY (Dorothy), FF10 NNA (Fiona), YV10 NNE (Yvonne); and Sue number plates, such as PO10 SUE and SO10 SUE.

Reg for Boys
Some for the boys are Max numbers such as ND10 MAX and PJ10 MAX; AA10 BAL (Iqbal), BR10 ANJ and BR10 ANR (Brian), AB10 MAR (Omar), GE10 RGE (George), OW10 WEN (Owen), and LL10 NEL (Lionel).

Number Plates for Males and Females
There are personalised registrations suitable for both boys and girls, such as BL10 NDE (Blonde), HE10 SAM, ME10 SAM, and OO10 SAM (Sam).

Surname Number Plates
And of course various number plates for surnames, such as DN10 BLE, EN10 BLE, and JN10 BLE (Noble).

Number Plates for Vehicle Brands
BMW car owners will be pleased with the numerous options for their coveted car, with new BMW-style number plates such as AV10 BMW, GS10 BMW and PW10 BMW becoming available for the first time.

Clio owners will like these tidy Renault Clio number plates: CL10 CAR, CL10 HOT and CL10 FAN.

The VW Polo gets a look in too, with registrations perfect for this hot hatchback: PO10 ACE, PO10 BOY, and PO10 CAR.

Fleet Combinations
There are also some interesting number plates for fleet vehicles, or vehicles used for business, such as GR10 CER (Grocer), UN10 CKD and UN10 CKS (perhaps for a Locksmith?), and BR10 KER (Broker).

PA10 OUT and SO10 OUT also have interesting connotations.

Just for Fun!
A fantastic pair of number plates for speed demons are VE10 CTY (looks like Velocity), and SM10 KED (Smoked).

And, my personal favourite (Transformers fans will love this one!) – AU10 BOT!

This small selection by no means does justice to the almost infinite possibilities for the new 10-series personalised registrations.

Why not try a 10-series number plate search on our web site to find your perfect registration? Or call us today on 01642 36 37 38 and let us help you find your perfect 10!

Get a new registration plate this bonfire night

November 4, 2009
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by Daniel

Bonfire night is fast approaching and this is the time of year many of us flock to firework shops to stock up on all manner of bright and loud fireworks to impress our family, friends and even neighbours!

If you are in the business of selling fireworks or supplies around this time of year, then searching through the latest private number plates can sometimes unearth a bargain. These number plates would send out a great advertising message for your company.

You can easily do a search online for the most relevant registrations, such as; FAWKES, BONFIRE, SPARKLER or ROCKET. These types of exact registrations can be sourced for you by online car registration sellers. These plates usually start from about £700 but this could depend on the quality of the plate. It may even be as high as £50,000 but would work wonders for any company working in this industry.

Make sure you take a look at the selection of registrations found online; maybe with a bit of tweaking here and there, replacing letters with numbers, you could get yourself a top deal and make sure this bonfire night your sales go off with a bang!

New Office for National Numbers

October 27, 2009
Posted in National Numbers News — Written by Helen

The news from National Numbers Headquarters is that we’ve now finished moving into our fantastic new office! As far as our postal address is concerned, we haven’t moved, as our address is the same (see below for details) – however we have relocated to lovely new office space within the same building.

In case you were wondering, the office still has the same beautiful panoramic view of the largest petrochemical complex in Europe. With the long and dark nights drawing in, this becomes all the more breathtaking with its distinct orange glow and twinkling lights from the gantries and staircases of the petrochemical works. Don’t believe me? Check out the photos from Flickr in this photostream.

From the inside, the new office is a spacious and comfortable place for National Numbers dedicated team to buy and sell number plates. The office has lots of room for our admin staff, who diligently take the load off our customers’ by dealing with the DVLA paperwork we receive from them on a daily basis.

Here are some photographs of the team at work:

National Numbers new office

National Numbers new office

Our address:

National Numbers House,
The Grange,
Belasis Avenue,
Billingham,
Cleveland,
TS23 1LG

Feel free to call us on 01642 36 37 38 and we’ll be happy to discuss your requirements for your ideal personalised number plate.