The government led by Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering stricter measures against so-called ghost plates, which could see drivers face up to six penalty points and the immediate confiscation of their vehicles. The proposals follow a consultation launched in January, with responsibility for the final decision now lying with the Makerfield MP.
Proposals include vehicle seizure and penalty points
Under the plans, police would be granted immediate powers to confiscate vehicles fitted with stealth plates. Drivers using such plates could also receive up to six penalty points on their licence. The consultation document states that it is harder for police to identify who is using a vehicle when offenders go to great lengths to hide ownership or who was driving, making it more difficult for police to keep the public safe and pursue offenders.
The document also highlights evidence of drivers disguising a vehicle's true ownership to avoid vehicle excise duty and other road payment requirements. This places an additional burden on law-abiding drivers when revenue shortfalls to the treasury due to fraud have to be made up. Currently, police have powers to seize vehicles from those driving whilst uninsured or not in accordance with their driving licence, but the use of this power must be proportionate and allows police to use discretion not to seize where they feel it is appropriate based on the merits of each situation.
New camera technology to identify offenders
Chris Shepherd, a former British Transport Police officer now working for ANPR camera manufacturer MAV Systems, said new cameras had been developed that are better able to identify vehicles. The technology allows police to "make sure that people becoming a scourge to society and our roads are identified", he told BBC Radio Kent. This is on top of road users "trying to avoid road charging mechanisms or parking fees" with ghost plates.
Sarah Coombes MP, who represents West Bromwich, said she was campaigning for a crackdown. "It allows people to race around past speed cameras and go undetected," she told the BBC. "But it also allows people who are dealing drugs, doing serious crimes, to go undetected on police cameras."
MP calls for tighter rules on selling number plates
Coombes described the current number plate selling system as a "Wild West" and said the government needed to "tighten up the rules around selling number plates". The consultation, which began earlier this year, is part of a broader effort to address the misuse of ghost plates, which are designed to evade detection by ANPR cameras and speed enforcement.
The outcome of the consultation will determine the exact scope of the new powers, including whether the six-point penalty will be applied universally or on a case-by-case basis. The government has not yet set a timeline for implementing the changes, but the proposals signal a significant shift in enforcement against those using stealth plates.
