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Crackdown on illegal foreign vehicles

The DVLA can now track down untaxed and unlicensed vehicles illegally entering the country.

The Government's motoring authority has set up checkpoints in Harwich and Portsmouth to check the details of hundreds of passing cars and more ports are set to follow.

The law states that any car staying in the UK for more than six months must be re-registered with the DVLA.

Previously, there was no way of capturing and prosecuting the owners of illegally untaxed foreign cars kept in the country. But with the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, the DVLA can now trace owners of untaxed cars, who risk repossession of their vehicles.

A total of 1233 drivers were caught by the DVLA in just seven days in Portsmouth. This comes after the authority recently gained extra powers to track down road tax evaders parked off the public road. Read more.

The black market 

Parker’s warned car buyers in March to avoid so-called ‘bargain’ foreign-registered vehicles that were being sold cheaply to unsuspecting UK buyers that thought they were getting a good deal.

These untaxed cars would often fail the MoT, could have been stolen and were uninsurable for UK residents.

Our investigation looked at a report published by the Association of British Insurers, which showed that the problem of non-registration was on the rise.

Read the full story here

 

Have your say

Post a comment and tell us what you think about this article.

Added: 26 March 2009 12:45

how would you feel going to germany, france or spain? If you are going to go to spain you will have to pay road tax in every coutry you would drive in.
matt, London
 

Added: 01 December 2008 13:28

In this HIGH TECH' age vehicles from outside of the UK entering OUR PORTS can be SCANNED FOR THE EVIDENCE of ROAD TAX to cover the period of the INTENDED STAY.Whether on holiday or intention to stay beyond SIX MONTHS all details can be scanned and checked against shared data(TAX,INSURANCE&MOT)and if not in order the vehicle can be held untill matters are put to rights(OR CONFISCATED if evidence of gross breaches is shown)The SCANNING at EACH PORT could be processed during each crossing duration.
John Shepherd, UpHolland,Skelmersdale
 

Added: 13 November 2008 23:22

About time took them long enough to implement the law,Brits when travelling abroad get hammered by the cops & fined on the spot for not having correct paperwork.
Chris Bowden, Stockport