ILLUSTRATION: PAUL RYDING
The DVLA was recently hit with a Freedom of Information request ordering it to publish a full list of banned numberplates for the March ‘24’ cycle: all plates deemed at risk of offending right-minded citizens. The investigative journalists behind this request? Plates4Less, a website selling personalised numberplates.
Now, personally I’d rather pop my most delicate extremities in an air fryer than drive a car with a personalised plate. But hey, it’s a free country, and if you’re the sort of person fine with blowing a month’s salary on a combination of letters and numbers that vaguely resemble your name provided you a) squint heavily and b) cannot spell, then knock yourself out. Unless, that is, your name happens to vaguely resemble one of the 330 or so recently prohibited combos. Because the DVLA did indeed publish its banned list in full (thus rather undermining the ‘not causing offence’ principle), and it is indeed... nowhere near as offensive as you’d hope, sorry.