‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ banned

The beloved vintage car from the 1968 movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can’t appear in a British parade because it’s not roadworthy, local officials say.

The car, with its red and yellow wings, flew children away from danger in the film, but now presents a danger to the public in this weekend’s Norwich, England, Street Procession, because it lacks a proper Ministry of Transport inspection certificate, the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

The Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car does not have a valid MoT certificate and therefore breaches regulations, said Harry Mitchell of the Norfolk Police told the newspaper, adding that he’d be happy to allow the 50-year old car participate if it were placed atop a flatbed truck.

An official with the parade’s producer, the Norwich Theatre Royal, said he tried to find a trailer for the car but couldn’t locate one in time.

It just proved too difficult to “¦ get the necessary permission and insure the car despite several weeks of effort, John Bultitude told the Telegraph. It would have been easier if Chitty really did fly as a pilot’s license only takes a minimum of 45 hours to obtain.