Are you taking your bike away at Christmas on a bike rack?

Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.

We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.

If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety.

Although funding external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.

Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race.

I heard earlier this week that there is a blitz on vehicles transporting bikes on bike racks on a towbar where the bikes obscure the number plate and indicator lights.

The law states that it is mandatory that a registration plate is legible and unobscured. Section 28 of the Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2011 allows drivers to obtain supplementary registration plates that can be attached to objects such as dog boxes or bike racks that obscure permanent registration plates.

This means drivers don’t have to remove and reattach registration plates when they carry objects that obscure them.

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Supplementary registration plates:

must bear the same set of characters as that of the registration plates currently assigned to that vehicle
can only be attached to a motor vehicle that bears the ordinary or personalised plate of the same registration number
are not be mandatory. Drivers can choose to remove their usual registration plate and attach it to the object that is obscuring it
are smaller than normal registration plates (300mm x 114mm) and have the word ‘supplementary’ along the bottom.

How to apply for a supplementary registration plate

A supplementary registration plate costs $17.08 and can be obtained by going to the LicenSys website and filling in the appropriate application form, or by phoning 0800 736 253.

Frequently asked questions

What is a supplementary registration plate?

A supplementary registration plate is an additional, smaller number plate that can be attached to an object that temporarily obscures a vehicle’s front and/or rear registration plate, eg a bike rack or dog box.

Is a supplementary registration plate necessary if an object obscures the front and/or rear registration plate of a vehicle?

No, a supplementary plate is optional. You could remove the front and/or rear plate from your car when it is obscured, attach it to the object that is obscuring it, and then return it to your vehicle when you are finished using the object.

Do you have to display registration plates at all times?

Yes, you could be fined if your registration plate is obscured or illegible.