Attack of The Untraceable Number Plates

Coming across a speeding maniac is irritating enough but, should we see a camera flash him or her, we can at least get some satisfaction in the thought that they've been caught and will have to pay the penalty. Well, this may be true of UK drivers but it has recently been revealed that the council is losing thousands of pounds due to untraceable, foreign number plates.

Foreigners driving in the UK only have to register with the DVLA if they are staying in the country for over six months. This means that those who decide not to abide by the law by speeding, parking on double yellow lines, or overstaying time allowed in car parks, are getting away with it. Ipswich Borough Council has lost £29,890 since Oct '05 due to writing off 427 Penalty Charge Notices, while councils in Suffolk are tens of thousands of pounds out of pocket. And this is all due to untraceable foreign number plates.

According to a spokesperson for the Department of Transport, a Local Transport Bill is currently going through Parliament. This should improve communication between the DVLA and registration authorities abroad, meaning that offenders can be traced.

Well, let's hope so! It seems only fair that those who decide to break the rules should pay the price. This is a Europe-wide problem, so let's hope that all offenders, no matter where they are, can soon be traced.

Sorry to deliver yet more miserable news to you all. Perhaps it's the cheerless weather taking effect on me. Hopefully I'll be back tomorrow with something a little more uplifting. Oh drat, now I've gone and got your hopes up...

 Subscribe in a reader