Thousands of drivers have been caught breaking a major driving law, with new rules and penalties aiming to crack down on offences.
The need for more enforcement follows reports which found a concerning rise in "ghost plates" last year, with more than 1,000 cases being reported by the police.
Ghost number plates are illegal in the UK as they use reflective coatings to evade detection by speed and Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras.
Now, tougher legal action is being considered by the Government through the Vehicle Registration Offences (Review) Bill introduced by Labour MP for West Bromwich, Sarah Coombes.
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PA | Experts have warned of a rise in ghost number plates across the UK, with more than 1,000 cases recorded last year
The Bill, which is due to have its Second Reading in the House of Commons on September 12, calls for stricter regulation and enforcement for drivers caught with illegal number plates.
Speaking to the House in May, Coombes said: "I recently spoke to a roads policing officer about drivers who use illegal number plates, such as ghost number plates that cannot be read by police and speed cameras.
"He told me that the scale at which this problem now exists is frightening. These plates are on every street, in every town, and they are being used to openly commit offences and evade capture, in the knowledge that there’s very little we can do about it. The problem is only getting worse, posing a huge danger on our roads. We need to toughen up the law urgently."
She called on the Department for Transport to increase the penalties for using ghost plates to at least £1,000 and six penalty points, which would add more deterrents.
PA | Sarah Coombes, Labour MP for West Bromwich, has called for harsher penalties for drivers with ghost number plates The Chartered Trading Standards Institute has shown support for tougher rules for drivers, with chief executive John Herriman welcoming the MPs' proposals.
He shared: "Illegal 'ghost' plates are a menace that allow dangerous drivers and criminals to operate with impunity – this is completely unacceptable. We fully support calls for tougher penalties and proactive enforcement to stamp out the use of fake number plates. We are particularly concerned about the growing link to Organised Crime Groups in the UK.
"Trading Standards teams across the country are on the front line of efforts to disrupt rogue traders, protect consumers from being misled, and defend the interests of legitimate number plate manufacturers who follow the law."
According to Quotezone data from police forces across the country, it revealed that drivers in the Humberside area recorded the highest number of illegal or non-compliant number plate offences last year, with a total of 1,161 offences.
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Meanwhile, Norfolk reported 926 offences, followed by Greater Manchester with 2,791 offences. Northumbria recorded the fewest with 60 offences last year, while Warwickshire also saw relatively few offences (65), with Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire each reporting just 90 offences in total across the year.
Quotezone CEO and car insurance expert Greg Wilson said: "Ghost number plates have surged in popularity across England, with some drivers using them to evade speeding penalties and other traffic regulations.
"The data gathered from police forces indicates that many motorists continue to flout the rules regarding vehicle registration plates, but recent calls for stricter legislation and harsher penalties could mean that offenders will soon face a more rigorous crackdown."
He explained that the research revealed several hotspots for illegal number plate activity, including Humberside, Norfolk and Greater Manchester.
WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCIL | What a 'ghost' number plate looks like to an ANPR camera He added: "As part of our research, we also sought to determine if police forces had dedicated resources to tackle the issue.
"Several forces confirmed they were taking action. For instance, Nottinghamshire Police have recently equipped their roads unit with specialised tools, designed to detect ghost plates."
The expert warned drivers that it is a legal requirement to have an easily identifiable number plate which is "lean, not obscured and free from modifications" with failure to do so resulting in fines and penalty points.
Wilson explained that having as few as three penalty points could increase car insurance premiums by an average of five per cent, rising to 25 per cent for six penalty points.
"If drivers suspect they’re a victim of ghost plating, and have had their registration number stolen, they need to inform the police and the DVLA as soon as possible to try and avoid penalty points accumulating on the wrong licence," he added.