Have I missed something????

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Tue 1 Dec 2015 15:44
Have I missed something???? - Dwight Van Driver

I am aware that Police have power to seize your vehicle if driving other than under the conditions of your Licence and/or no Insurance under Road Traffic Act 1988.

I am also aware that DVLA have power to clamp/seize an untaxed vehicle but was nor aware this power also rested with the Police. Seems I am ignorant if this is to be believed:

twitter.com/strayfmwill/status/671383513564897280/...1

Somewhere along the line i have missed the relevant bit of legislation authorising. Anybody help?

dvd

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Tue 1 Dec 2015 19:34
Have I missed something???? - bathtub tom

DJs aren't renowned for their intelligence!

That picture clearly shows it's a DVLA poster.

I suspect he's got his facts wrong.

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Tue 1 Dec 2015 23:36
Have I missed something???? - FP

There seems to be plenty of anecdotal evidence and press reports that the police on occasions do seize untaxed vehicles, but I can't find the "statutory instrument" that authorises this.

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Tue 1 Dec 2015 23:54
Have I missed something???? - focussed

That should not really be anything to do with the police - it's a financial matter. Do the police come and arrest you if you haven't paid your income tax? Or council tax? Or stamp duty tax? Or any other of the dozens of other taxes? So why just vehicle tax?

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Wed 2 Dec 2015 07:43
Have I missed something???? - Simon
I think that what you will find is that certain police forces are now targeting foreign registered vehicles that have overstayed in the UK. They have a power to seize them on behalf of the DVLA and it costs the owner £100 in recovery fees and another £160 which is a surety that is passed to the DVLA, which the owner gets back if they either register and tax the vehicle for the UK, or if they prove that the vehicle has gone back 'home'. The untaxed sticker is a bit misleading but it is what the coppers are slapping on the windows of these foreign seized vehicles.
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Wed 2 Dec 2015 14:21
Have I missed something???? - FP

"That should not really be anything to do with the police - it's a financial matter."

The argument I saw somewhere is that untaxed vehicles are more likely to be involved in crime, or their drivers/owners are, than taxed vehicles. Therefore the police are acting pre-emptively. It is not the unpaid tax that is the issue.

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Wed 2 Dec 2015 15:55
Have I missed something???? - RT

"That should not really be anything to do with the police - it's a financial matter."

The argument I saw somewhere is that untaxed vehicles are more likely to be involved in crime, or their drivers/owners are, than taxed vehicles. Therefore the police are acting pre-emptively. It is not the unpaid tax that is the issue.

That was the big incentive for fitting ANPR to police cars - vehicles stopped for VED/MoT/Insurance issues are far more likely to uncover more serious non-traffic offences which can be dealt with or investigated further.

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Tue 8 Dec 2015 15:19
Have I missed something???? - Dwight Van Driver

Done some digging got nothing as concrete as S165(a) RTA 88 which specifically gives the power to uplift in DL and Insurance offences.

Nearest I can come up with is The Vehicle and Resistration Act 1997 Schedule 2 which allows an authorised officer to clamp or remove to elswhere an untaxed/unsorned vehicle on a public road or certian other public places. Sect 12(2)(b) of Schedule states Poloice Officer can be authorised.

dvd

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