Untaxed vehicles face new year crackdown

Untaxed vehicles are to come under the spotlight again in a New Year clampdown, it was confirmed today.

Owners across Northern Ireland who evade paying their motor tax were warned by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) and the PSNI, their unlicensed vehicles could be detected, clamped and possibly removed over the next few weeks.

Following the success of a pilot exercise against tax evaders in Belfast during September, both agencies are reviving ‘Operation Evader’ across the province. During the two week Operation Evader pilot exercise in September, the DVA and PSNI clamped 320 unlicensed vehicles.

Operation Evader will be focused on vehicles which are untaxed for more than 28 days in Northern Ireland.

DVA Chief Executive Brendan Magee said the authorities were determined to tackle the problem of motor tax evasion in Northern Ireland.

Mr Magee said: “The recent rise in the rate of evasion of motor tax in Northern Ireland from 2.3% in 2007 to 2.6% in 2008 has highlighted the continuing problem of a small, hard core of offenders determined to try to avoid payment.

“In spite of our success in driving down the rate of evasion from 10% in 2002, motor tax evasion is now over 3.5 times higher than in the rest of the UK.

“It’s not just about collecting the tax due. The pilot operation in Belfast in September also showed that over half of the vehicles detected with no tax also had no insurance and four out 10 vehicles of testable age had no current test certificate and therefore were potentially unroadworthy.

“The overwhelming majority of motorists pay their tax and keep their vehicles roadworthy and insured. It’s only fair that we do all that we can to catch the small minority who are determined to act irresponsibly”

Chief Inspector Gary McComb PSNI Roads Policing explained: “Unlicensed vehicles are a menace. Our previous operation confirmed that many are unroadworthy and are driven by people who have no driving licence or insurance, presenting a real danger to all road users and pedestrians.

“Untaxed and unregistered vehicles are difficult to trace and are often used by criminals and drivers who engage in erratic and dangerous driving. By taking them off our roads, we are making Northern Ireland safer for everyone.”

The introduction of new legislation in October gives the DVA increased powers to take action, including the clamping and removal of vehicles in any public place such as car parks and unadopted roads.

Mr Magee advised all motorists to ensure their vehicles are taxed before they are used or even parked in a public place. He also reminded road users that by checking that vehicles are insured and tested as part of the licensing process, DVA was helping to make their roads a safer place for law abiding motorists and other road users.

Mr Magee concluded: “With enforcement action taking place across the province and with all areas being targeted, the combined effort of DVA’s wheelclamping contractor, NCP Services and PSNI will ensure there will be no hiding place for unlicensed vehicles.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Owners of clamped vehicles must pay £260 before they are released or £100 along with production of a valid tax disc. Recovered vehicles which are not claimed within seven days may be crushed.
2. Clamped vehicles are only returned to keepers on production of evidence of ownership and relevant identity documents. Keepers who have never licensed their vehicle are also required to become the registered keeper of the vehicle before release.
3. Additional enforcement action is also taken against the keeper for unpaid tax right back to the expiry of the last tax disc.
4. The 2008 Roadside Survey revealed that the level of evasion in traffic in Northern Ireland had risen from 2.3% in 2007 to 2.6%.This compares with a rate of only 0.7% in GB.
5. In October 2008 the Finance Act 2008 extended the enforcement powers available to DVA allowing unlicensed vehicles to be clamped in areas considered to be public places. Vehicles kept on private property to which the public have no access or on property associated with a dwelling are not subject to enforcement action. However, it is an offence not to have a current tax disc for any vehicle unless the keeper has a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) declaration in place.
6. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office tel. 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.