Police in Leeds to join national Government-funded crackdown on illegal number plates

Police in Leeds are joining a new nationwide crackdown on illegal number plates.

The National Roads Policing Coordination Centre (NRPCC) will bring together police forces from around England to share intelligence, improve collaboration and make better use of data to target drivers who dodge fines and organised crime gangs.

This will include trialling new technology for example specialised goggles that can detect number plates where criminals have tried to make them unreadable by cameras.

Illegal number plates are often used for criminal activity to evade speeding, parking or clean air zone penalties, and are frequently used for organised crime including moving illegal goods on the road network.

Chief Superintendent Marc Clothier, Deputy National Coordinator for the NRPCC, 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.

“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.”

Vehicles that hide from number plate recognition technology are harder for police to track down when they are stolen or linked to organised crime and other serious offences.

Being able to better detect these illegal number plates will mean police are able to track down criminals quicker, reducing crime and making the roads safer and streets safer.

The Government is also looking to go even further through its Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade, which aims to save thousands of lives.

This strategy has already consulted on stronger penalties for drivers using illegal number plates, reviewing number plate standards and improving enforcement.

Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones added: “Illegal number plates are not a victimless offence. They are used by criminals to avoid detection, move illegal goods and stay one step ahead of law enforcement.

“By bringing forces together and making better use of technology and intelligence, this new team will help police track down offenders faster and disrupt organised crime groups that rely on our road network.

“We are determined to give police every advantage in the fight against serious and organised crime, while making our roads safer for everyone.”

The Government’s plan, will also build on work from the DVSA and DVLA which is working closely with police to improve how illegal number plates are identified and enforcing against them.

This includes supporting investigations into businesses involved in the illegal supply of number plates and supporting the police in roadside operations.

Drivers using an incorrectly displayed number plate can be fined up to £1,000.

Illegal number plates can come in many forms, including:

• Cloned plates, where a vehicle carries a copied registration belonging to another legitimate vehicle, making it harder to identify.
• ‘Ghost plates’, where a transparent film is used to make the registration undetectable to cameras.
• Missing plates, where a car has no number plate at all.