Within the UK as a whole there are currently two registration and numbering systems for registration plates.  The first and most widely known is that used in the UK, comprising Great Britain, Scotland, and Wales.  The second system is used in Northern Ireland.  Both these registration and numbering schemes conform to the 1998 European Standard Design.

Since 2001, registration plates have been issued with a two-letter area code identifier, followed by a two-digit age identifier, followed by a space, and finally a three letter suffix.  Under normal conditions the suffix is a series of random letters, but personalised plates can be ordered in which the three letters spell something, like CAT or ANN.  At the far left of the registration plate is the optional blue strip identifying the EU country.  For those issued in Great Britain, a circle of yellow stars is on the blue field, with the letters ‘GB’ directly beneath.

The Crown Dependencies, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are outside of the European Union, and so the 1998 European Standard Design law did not apply to them.  For example, the registration plates for Guernsey are either silver lettering on a black background, or the more traditional black lettering on a white or yellow background.  Their numbering scheme is different, as well, being merely a series of up to six digits.  Lower numbers are more highly valued, much as in the UK.

The font of UK plates is also dictated by law.  Specifically, the Charles Wright font, slightly modified, is used, and the digits must be a minimum of 79 mm in height for automobiles and 64 mm for motorcycles.  Even cherished and personalised plates must adhere to this convention, or risk receiving a fine.

Learning to drive is one of the things most 17 year olds look forward to do however for some the whole process can also be quite daunting because there is so much to think about, many things to consider and a lot to learn.

The first thing you need to do is get your provisional licence, you have to do this before you can legally drive a car,  you can get your provisional licence form from the post office or you can apply online with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Once you have your provisional license you can start to learn to drive, you can either choose to have a family member or friend teach you however they must be over 21 years of age and must have held (and still hold) a full licence, in the relevant vehicle category, for three years. You must also display ‘L’ plates in a conspicuous position on the front and rear of the vehicle you are driving. You can also choose to enrol at a driving school in Cardiff and have an instructor who must be registered with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

Once you have started to learn to drive you need to take your theory test, this is compulsory and has to be taken and passed before you can take your practical driving test, your instructor can help you with any questions you may have with your theory test.

Once your instructor from your driving school in Cardiff feels that you are suitable prepared and you have assed your theory test you can book your practical test, this can be done online or over the phone, they will make sure you can drive safely and have knowledge of the Highway Code and can demonstrate this through your driving. Your practical test will last about 40 minutes and the examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving, including when you are carrying out the set exercises.

Now if you have passed your test successfully first time you can now send off for your full driving licence, your examiner will fill in the appropriate forms and send it off for you, if you did not pass your practical first time, do not become disheartened instead go ahead and book it again and get more practice at what you failed at.

Car leasing is a cost-effective way of owning a new car. One car brand considered ‘lease-friendly’ is the Peugeot.

If you’re a tourist looking to lease a car for a short duration, you can avail yourself of the Peugeot Buyback Lease programme. Since foreigners are exempt from paying taxes on brand-new cars, they can lease the car during their stay in the UK, and not have to pay the associated taxes. Then once the leasing contract expires, a UK company can buy the car back from them. This setup is helpful to both parties as tourists get to drive around in a new car while car companies can buy brand-new cars without having to pay taxes.

Residents of the UK can lease a Peugeot by getting a contract hire agreement. Peugeot leasing has very few basic requirements but some companies tend to impose regulations of their own. Some companies require you to rent the car in advance first to test it before leasing it. Almost all payments are done on a monthly basis and all leasing contracts have a limit on how many miles you can drive with the Peugeot. The average is 10,000 miles per year, and companies impose a charge if you go over the limit.

The only downside to this arrangement is that the Peugeot is a leasing favourite so most companies might only have few left in stock. Check out local car leasing companies to see if they have one available and ask for a price quote to get the best deal possible.

With lines devised by the former Lamborghini designer Luc Donkerwolke, this three-door ‘Sports Coupe’ has a strikingly exciting appearance. One of Seat’s most popular models, accounting for 45% of the company’s sales, the Ibiza has some attractive new features.

The new model has a longer, wider platform than its predecessor, which largely translates into a bigger boot but certainly makes the cabin feel more spacious too. The backs of the front seats are curved, cunningly supplying more leg space for the rear passengers, and all the seats are sculpted and exceptionally comfortable.

The suspension provides a smooth ride for day to day urban driving, although if you opt for the sports suspension it’ll all feel a lot firmer. The car has undoubtedly benefited from improved shock absorbers and softer springs, making the drive a softer one than the earlier Ibizas could deliver. The 1.4 turbo petrol engine is zingier and more spirited than the 1.6 petrol. The new super- and turbocharged Cupra versions (‘Cupra’ mixes the words ‘Cup’ and ‘Racing’ ) yields a thumping 178 bhp. The car is responsive and lively to drive and, as part of the VW group, solidly reliable.

It is a little too small to function as a good family car but it’s not tiny and, for relatively modest journeys, it’ll do fine in this department.

Car leasing is a simple concept that has been in circulation for about 75 years now, but it has only become popular since the 1970s. The continual increase in car prices has caused greater interest in car leasing, as it offers a less expensive way to drive one’s dream car that, otherwise, a person could not afford.

It is reassuring to know that Volkswagen means a larger fleet and leasing management savings. But why is a Volkswagen so precious? The answer lies in its quality build. A part of Volkswagen philosophy is its quality design, as well as its component make-up. Here are some examples of how a Volkswagen is built: the body is galvanised at 820° F molten zinc and, to avoid rusting, it is swamped with hot wax; Volkswagen parts are developed with robust anti-corrosion materials and are screened in salt water; laser-steered welding makes the Volkswagen stronger as gaps linking body panels are minimised; durability of the seat fabric is checked using sandpaper; and it has silicon-dampened handles.

Almost all Volkswagen types are available for leasing. Customers can choose from a wide variety including the Beetle Car (prices start at £156.95 per month), Passat Car (starting at £212.01 per month), Golf Car (£162.00 per month), Polo Car (£112.48 per month), Sharan Car (£235.81 per month) and Touareg Car (£362.13 per month). Customers should also remember that shorter contracts mean higher monthly payments. Find out if leasing is the right option before going to a car dealer. Feel free to browse current lease offers, rates, options, payment plans, and prices.

Before you can book your driving lessons to learn to drive you must have a valid provisional driving licence. You must also make sure that any other vehicle you drive, other than the driving instructors is road worthy and properly taxed and insured.

Major cities have seen an increase of driving instructors over the past few years with driving schools in Birmingham showing a 30% increase in students wanting to drive. Driving instructors have also sprung up in more rural areas as demand has grown.

If you don’t want to learn how to drive with a driving school, you must make sure that you are accompanied by another driver who is over 21 years old and has held a driving licence for 3 years. A learner’s plate must also be positioned on the front and rear of the car.

So if you’re learning to drive with a driving school in Birmingham or doing it with an accompanying driver, remember to practice, practice, practice!

Along with the new number plate system that started in 2001, the DVLA also revised regulations on how car numbers plates should look, and the way in which they should be displayed. The revised regulations apply not only to plates registered from 2001 onwards, but also apply to replacement plates for cars registered before 2001.

The number one requirement for number plates is the typeface. Since 2001 all number plates must display a very simple sans serif typeface, which is easy to read for humans, and for electronic recognition systems such as traffic cameras. This requirement is somewhat of a frustration for individuals who like personalised number plates, but is a legal requirement since non-compliance could involve heavy fines. One decorative effect allowed is a 3D version of the mandatory typeface.

Colours and reflectivity of number plates are also regulated and there is a British standard (BS AU 145d) for the physical characteristics for number plates, including visibility, strength and reflectivity. Interestingly, front plates must have black letters on a white background, while rear plates must have black letters on a yellow background.

Other options for customisation are limited to the text next to the plate and the flag display, which can be  an English Flag (St George Cross) with ‘ENG’ on the plate, a Scottish Flag (St Andrew Cross) with ‘SCO’ on the plate or Welsh Flag (green dragon on green/white field) with ‘Cymru’ or ‘Wales’ on the plate. A popular design is the Euro Flag (circle of stars) combined with GB. This saves the driver from having to put a separate sticker on the car’s window that spells ‘GB’.

 If you’re the sort of person who is drawn to comfort rather than appearance — more happy, say, with a Primark tee-shirt than an FCUK fashion statement, or supermarket sunglasses rather than RayBans – you won’t be unduly put off by the absence of glitz and elegance in this rather chunky, rather plain series.

The Epica does offer a good deal of comfort, though, providing ample leg room both front and rear, and delivering a pleasingly soft ride. There’s plenty of boot-space, too. As a saloon built in Korea, it features distinctly better quality materials in its interior than many other Korean makes and whilst the exterior design lines are not positively ugly they might be considered just a little dull and underwhelming.

The Chevrolet Epica comes in a 2.0 litre turbodiesel and a 2.0 litre straight six petrol version. It has to be said that the diesel comes with a bit more ‘oomph’ and power than the latter, and also gets you a creditable 46 mpg in comparison with the petrol engine’s less impressive 35 mpg. The Epica is intended to be a budget alternative to the Accord or the Mondeo and it doesn’t do a bad job in meeting this description.