No hiding place for road tax dodgers (From Gazette Series)

No hiding place for road tax dodgers

POLICE in Gloucestershire are among forces working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in a new crackdown on road tax dodgers.

The latest enforcement weapon - a freephone hotline 0800 325 202 - was launched on Tuesday for the public to ring and report untaxed vehicles, with dedicated teams of investigators responding to tip-offs to detect road tax cheats red-handed.

Callers are asked to provide the registration number, make and model of the vehicle and where and when the vehicle may be seen parked on the public highway. All information will be held in the strictest confidence and anonymity will be respected at all times.

From October 25 additional agency wheel-clamping units will operate throughout the region. Motorists whose vehicles are wheel-clamped for not having a valid tax disc will have to pay £200 release fee for the vehicle to be declamped at the roadside.

If not claimed within 24 hours, the vehicle will be impounded and the release fee rises to £280 plus £15 per day storage. If a valid tax disc is shown when the vehicle is reclaimed, the agency will refund £120 of the release fee. Unclaimed, unlicensed vehicles will be crushed within 14 days.

Untaxed vehicles will also be caught in the frame by road tax Stingray cameras. In a fraction of a second, using cutting-edge digital technology, these cameras automatically read the number-plates of passing vehicles and check instantaneously if the road tax has been paid.

In Gloucestershire from next week police will be stepping up their enforcement activities and carrying out roadside checks to detect road tax cheats and motorist committing road safety offences such as having no insurance or no MoT certificate.

A publicity campaign started this week to encourage motorists to check their vehicles are properly licensed.