The Government has announced a new crackdown on illegal number plates, known as ghost plates, which have become a major issue on roads across England. The measures include the launch of a National Roads Policing Coordination Centre (NRPCC) and the trial of specialised goggles designed to detect number plates that criminals have tried to make unreadable by cameras.
Ghost plates allow offenders to make themselves invisible to speed and ANPR cameras through the use of false or modified plates. According to the Government, the use of ghost plates has surged in recent years, with police often unable to identify offenders. The new NRPCC will bring together police forces from around England to share intelligence and work more closely on tackling this issue.
National Roads Policing Coordination Centre launched
The NRPCC aims to enhance the police response to criminality both on and off the roads. Police forces involved in the ghost plates operation have demonstrated how effective a targeted and intelligence-led approach can be in tackling offenders, as well as educating and supporting drivers in ensuring their numberplates are compliant.
Illegal plates allow drivers to speed or commit other acts of dangerous driving without fear of being caught. They also allow criminal groups to move around under the radar of police and intelligence chiefs. The Government is also considering tougher penalties for number plate offences, such as larger fines and penalty points.
Roads Minister statement on crackdown
Roads Minister Justin Madders said: "We're cracking down on illegal number plates with new policing resource and innovative tech. Illegal number plates are used for crimes from evading parking charges to drug trafficking and we're stepping in to protect drivers. This is a signal to anyone using illegal number plates that their time is up. We will catch you and our roads and streets will be safer for it."
Chief Superintendent Marc Clothier, deputy national coordinator for the National Roads Policing Coordination Centre, said: "Through the National Roads Policing Coordination Centre, our mission is to tackle the biggest risks to road safety, enhancing and developing the police response to criminality both on and off the roads."
Police welcome funding from DfT
Clothier added: "The police forces involved in our ghost plates operation have shown how effective a targeted and intelligence-led approach is in tackling offenders as well as educating and supporting drivers in ensuring their numberplates are compliant. The testing and sharing of new approaches and developing innovation has been incredibly valuable and we look forward to building on this as we progress to our next operational focus."
He also noted: "Thanks to the funding from DfT, we have a valuable opportunity to support road safety and roads policing across the UK with enhanced national coordination, consistency, collaboration and communication across policing, government and the wider road safety community."
