THE motor industry has won its battle with the Government over alterations to the vehicle registration system with the new twice-yearly change due to come into effect on March 1, 1999. A joint Government and motor trade announcement on the plate changes and the new vehicle registration system to be introduced in 2001 when the existing letter-based system expires, is due to be made early in the new year.

Agreement over the changes came at a meeting this week at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions attended by Government officials, the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, the Retail Motor Industry Federation, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Under the plan the new S-plate will come into effect as scheduled on August 1 next year to be followed by T on March 1, 1999, V on September 1, 1999, W on March 1, 2000, X on September 1, 2000 and Y on March 1, 2001. On September 1, 2001 the new vehicle registration system will be introduced which, while final details remain sketchy, is understood to incorporate, as now, a vehicle age identifier, a geographic identifier and a random element.

The meeting took place following a letter from Transport Minister Gavin Strang to the four organisations in which he proposed the present R-mark should run for 13 months to September next year with subsequent changes every six months thereafter.