More than 30 vehicles have been towed away from Sandwell streets in a major crackdown on car tax dodgers. The move is the latest in a series of swoops by the council's highways department, the DVLA and police. The motorists were caught in kerbside checks and visits to their homes after tip-offs from neighbours and traffic wardens.
Highways enforcement officer Dave Roberts said 34 cars and vans were taken to the DVLA compound during the three-day blitz at the end of last week. The owners face a £200 bill to free their vehicles.
We have run operations like this before and more are planned for the future," said Mr Roberts. They are useful not only for picking up motorists who have not paid their tax but can highlight other offences as well."
The £200 fee includes a £120 surety which is refundable on production of a valid tax disc.
Motorists who have not paid vehicle excise duty for several months or longer face prosecution.
If owners fail to pay the outstanding tax as well as the £80 release fee -and the daily £15 charge for keeping vehicles after the first 24 hours -the vehicles will be crushed or auctioned off.
Councillor Keith Davies said: "These motorists have got to realise that their time of driving around Sandwell in untaxed vehicles is at an end. I, like other taxpayers, applaud what is being done by the authoritiesand this is just the start. We have a duty not only to those who do pay their tax to catch these
dodgers but also to those who may be injured by motorists without
insurance. (from tonights Express & Star)
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In the future, will this be the favoured method of 'disposal' of cars that reach the end of there working life. Way cheaper than paying to legally dispose beast.
Bob
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Unfortuneatly tax discs are available on the black market at a very good price and are perfect reproductions ,unless the enforcement officers have the correct hand held terminals they will be fighting a up hill battle and if the vehicles is owned by MR unknown all they will do is buy another and continue.
Until the UK adopts the European system of registration and documention it will always have a problem with uninsured and untaxed vehicles
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What system do they use in Europe, Andy, and how foolproof is it?
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As far as i know, in France you can only get your insurance once you have shown the valid MOT (control Technique) and paid the relevant department tax (although i think some of the road taxes may have recently been abolished), you take these documents along when you by your car tax, but significantly, you have to place an Insurance sticker beneath your tax disc, this has to correspond to the car reg and the details in the tax disc too. Cross referenced in this way, it seems harder to Fraud both tax and insurance. In many departments the police simply scan your tax and insurance stickers to check their validity, this depeds on the local police budget and equipment of course.
Importantly though, there are many more checks made by French police at the road side, i have been pulled over three times in 4 yrs driving both French and Englsih cars, you cannot sweet talk these guys! You also have to present your V5 form, otherwise pay a hefty fine.
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