The Federal Council has kyboshed the plan to bring in vanity car licence plates.
In August, the government announced it would consider allowing car owners to choose their own plates.
It was part of the plan for a complete redesign for number plates as cantons Bern and Zurich, two of the most populous areas, are running out of numbers.
But the whole redesign programme is now being put on hold – as a cost saving measure.
As an interim measure – those cantons running short of numbers will be able to simply add another.
By the end of next year, Zurich will issue the first plate with seven digits – instead of the standard six.
Bern will follow shortly after.
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