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Gloucestershire Business News

Police crackdown on untaxed cars

A vehicle which had not been taxed since January 2017 was among the first to be removed from the streets of Gloucestershire under new police powers.

It is one of 37 untaxed vehicles seized after newly devolved powers were given to Gloucestershire Constabulary by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

The law currently states that if a vehicle is untaxed it should be registered with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), and kept on private property.

If a vehicle is reported or discovered through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) as having no vehicle tax, Gloucestershire police can now to remove it.

Altogether, it's estimated there are around 17,000 untaxed vehicles in Gloucestershire.

The highest number of untaxed vehicles can be found the around centre of Gloucester in the GL1 and GL2 areas and also in the GL50 part of Cheltenham.

An on-line check at www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax will confirm your vehicle's status.

Gloucestershire Constabulary is planning a zero-tolerance approach under the Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) 'Green and pleasant county' priority.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Brierley, who last year commissioned an operation aimed at clearing abandoned vehicles said, "This is really an extension of Operation Gig or 'Get it gone' which we launched last November.

"When vehicles are left abandoned for days, weeks and even months at a time and are not removed, people tell us it's frustrating. How many times have to you driven around and seen a car with a 'police aware' sticker on it, for it to remain there ages.

"After a meeting with a Gloucester City council, I decided the OPCC should and could help facilitate a speedier response, so following consultation with local councils and our office, the police assumed responsibility for taking away abandoned vehicles which met the criteria of our Operation GIG. That arrangement helped to streamline the process and has been very successful with around 150 seized to date.

"The Police have always been able to remove vehicles with no insurance or no registered keeper along with those which have sometimes been stolen and left for later use in crime.

"Now they can add untaxed vehicles to the list".

DVLA Head of Enforcement Tim Burton said: "It is right that action is taken against those who don't tax their vehicles and then drive them otherwise it wouldn't be fair to those who do the right thing. "We are delighted that Gloucestershire Police are taking on these powers to make sure these untaxed vehicles are not driven on the road"

If any member of the public wishes to report a vehicle for no tax they can report it via www.gloucestershire.police.uk/contact-us/tell-us-about-something

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