Government outlines anti-car crime measures

The government has introduced new anti-car crime measures today, including the issuing of £80 automatic fines to people who fail to tax their cars.

The provisions will also address problems surrounding car dumping and the need to ensure that every vehicle has a traceable owner. It is hoped that the measures will significantly tighten the registration and licensing system, and make it much easier to deter and detect motorists who fail to insure or tax their vehicle.

Currently, there are about one million unlicensed vehicles on the road – which are left uninsured and abandoned, having usually been involved in criminal activity.

In 2000, over 238,000 vehicles were abandoned, and it is estimated that the overall cost of uninsured driving is £500 million – adding up to £30 to each honest motorist's annual insurance premium.

Under the new measures, from January 2004: registered keepers of vehicles will be legally responsible at for licensing (taxing) their vehicle. Motorists will face a new automatic £80 penalty if they fail to re-licence (tax) their vehicle on time. Determined offenders could face a minimum £1000 fine if taken to court.

The DVLA will be increasing and refocusing their wheel clamping operations to target evaders and will issue new vehicle registration documents to all vehicle keepers in the course of 2004.

The government is also encouraging motorists who sell their car to keep a record of the identity of the person to whom they sell it. For example the number of the buyer's driving licence.

Transport Minister David Jamieson said: "Vehicle crime is estimated to cost the economy £3 billion each year and accounts for more than a quarter of all reported crime. It is an expensive burden on the honest citizen.

"By ensuring vehicles do not fall out of the registration system, we can reduce the number of unlicensed and often uninsured vehicles on the road - tackling car abandonment and bringing dishonest motorists to book."

Bob Ainsworth, Home Office Minister said: "We have already achieved considerable success in reducing vehicle crime. Between 1997 and 2002 it fell 34% according to the British Crime Survey, but we cannot be complacent. We want to see further falls and are continuing to work with manufacturers and motorists to bring down car crime."

(GMcG)