Police News from Be Wiser

Crackdown On Motorists With Illegal Number Plates

The epidemic of illegal number plates is sweeping the country with motorists altering the spacing, changing the font and moving screws to change the characters so they look like a different one, which makes it difficult to identify the vehicle.

In November 2008 it became an offence to supply number plates that don’t comply with specific regulations on appearance; however motorists are still evading the rules and displaying illegal number plates on their vehicles.

Illegal plates that have numbers and characters re-arranged so they can’t be read by speed cameras are being targeted in a crackdown and will now face a £60 fine instead of £30 - in a bid to reduce the number of motorists fronting illegal number plates.

Nearly 68 per cent of motorists did not know if their number plate conformed to DVLA regulations, and one in five (21%) believed their plates might not be up to standard.

Millions of motorists also risk their cars failing the MOT under new rules designed to crack down on illegal number plates, which can't be read by speed or police cameras.

The new laws come amid a boom for personalised plates, from which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) benefits, which should reduce the 40,000 cars that face a re-test each year.

The Department for Transport will be putting up the cost of the MOT from £53.10 to a maximum of £54 as it launches a consultation on two new MOT measures: to crack down on dodgy plates.

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