Green number plates have no place on the road

sir – The idea of changing the colour of number plates to green for energy-saving vehicles (Letters, October 24) is not sensible.

When yellow reflective plates were introduced in December 1967 as a safety measure (not 1973, which was the year they became compulsory for new registrations), research showed that a black digit on a yellow background was the best combination for clarity. Black digits on a green background will be far more difficult to read – similar, perhaps, to Irish number plates which, for a time, had black digits on a red background. Nicholas Young

London W13

sir – Green number plates for electric cars sounds more like virtue-signalling than helping the environment – and would be a gift to the Extinction Rebellion “guerrillas”, who could then easily identify their targets. David Fothergill

Wakefield, West Yorkshire

sir – According to Nick Ansley, head of motor insurance at the Co-op, “installing a chargepoint at a property with a garage or a drive is fairly straightforward but it is not so easy for people living in an apartment” (report, October 24).

How are the many people who live on, say, the 10th floor, parking a few hundred yards away, supposed to charge their cars? We have already seen unsafe extension leads trailing across (wet) pavements to electric cars from terraced houses.

Has anyone in the Westminster bubble thought about this? David Lowe

West Malvern, Worcestershire

sir – As the driver of an all-electric car, I was delighted to learn of the Government’s plans. The use of green number plates could also have an unintended benefit.

My “normal” cruise speed on a motorway is now closer to 60mph than 70mph, as trying to maintain the speeds of those wedded to their internal combustion engines would soon deplete my battery. Other drivers on the motorway are sometimes caught unawares by a car proceeding at speeds below the legal limit and a green number plate would warn them of this, thereby obviating the need for flashing of lights and gesticulations. Philip Avery

Maidenhead, Berkshire