EURODOLLAR fleet director David Willsher said his company was lobbying for its preferred scheme - letter changes in January and July.

He said: 'There is some inertia saying if it ain't broke, don't fix it but we understand the problems created for manufacturers and dealers. Our scheme would give you a big January and a smaller July and divide the year into two six month bites. Model year changes in September would give some a reason to wait again.'

Willsher said quarterly changes would be a 'disaster' particularly if the whole thing started on August 1. 'The next change would be November 1 and the last thing anyone wants is to encourage sales in November. It would pump used cars into a weak market and everyone's residuals would suffer. The next change would be February 1 - just after January 1. How stupid!

'No one could keep up with new plate cars so the plates would be debased. Why is that a good idea? Poor CAP and Glass's will have no chance to value four plates a year and would just have to go back to the year.' He said the whole plate change saga had been appallingly handled and driven by groups interested in selling new cars with no thought for anyone else.