Offensive number plate won't be banned, but changed free of charge, says Waka Kotahi

Monday, 3 May 2021

James Crow has laid a complaint about his newly issued number plate that contains the letters 'NGR'.

A number plate that has caused offence won’t be banned but Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says it will be changed for free should a car owner request it.

Napier man James Crow asked for the immediate replacement of a number plate on his new car after noticing it contained the combination “NGR”.

Waka Kotahi director of land transport Kane Patena said the standard issue three-letter number plate series was manufactured earlier this year. There are 999 plates in the series.

Patena said Waka Kotahi planned to ensure that all future number plate combinations were more “thoroughly assessed” before being manufactured and released.

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In New Zealand 999 number plates have been issued with the letters ‘NGR’ on them, Waka Kotahi says. (File photo).

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Crow picked up his new car in February this year and said it was his wife who noticed the number plate when they arrived to pick it up.

“I saw it and thought ‘it can’t be a mistake, we’ve got to get that off’,” Crow said.

“The woman at AA was really accommodating and changed it straight away free of charge.”

While the “NGR” number plate was not being withheld, Patena said Waka Kotahi recognised the offence the letter combination had caused.

“We will arrange for replacement standard issue plates to be provided at no charge for any vehicle owners who do not wish to retain these plates.”

Crow said he discussed the reason for the number plate change with his children “who understood the combination would be totally unacceptable in a school environment or a community environment” and how it could be “used to hurt someone”.

“I just wanted to make sure this was being reviewed and how this slipped through, in case there was a number of other number plate combinations that just haven't been considered,” he said.

Waka Kotahi said it had received calls to its contact centre on Monday, one from an owner of a vehicle with the “NGR” combination on its number plate who had requested a change.

Anyone wanting to arrange for a free replacement for one of the plates can ring the agency contact centre on 0800 108 809.