Labour has been warned of an increasing trend of drivers illegally tampering with their number plates, sending fraud rates through the roof.
A rising number of drivers are using "ghost" licence plates on their vehicles to avoid being detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
This is done so drivers can avoid speeding fines, moving traffic offences and even evade paying costs associated with Clean Air Zones and the London Ulez.
Most of these "ghost" plates feature a reflective coating, making the letters and numbers on the plate appear clear to ANPR cameras.
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Other criminals looking to avoid detection will clone another driver's plate, meaning they illegally copy another vehicle registration.
In addition to avoiding road offences, drivers are also using ghost or cloned plates to commit organised crime or deal drugs.
A Government minister has now confirmed that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is taking steps to tighten regulations for suppliers and make the system "more robust".
Transport Minister Lord Hendy said: "The Government recognise the urgency and importance of tackling the use of illegal number plates designed to evade enforcement cameras.
Ministers have continually pressed the Government to crack down on number plate misuse
|PA/DVLA
"The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working hard with the police, other enforcement agencies and the industry to address the manufacture and misuse of such plates.
"This includes tightening application, inspection and audit processes for number plate suppliers."
A recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety (APPGTS) called on the Government to take steps to crack down on rules being abused.
It suggested that the number of licensed sellers of number plates should be cut from its current level of 34,000.
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What a 'ghost' number plate looks like to an ANPR camera | WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCILThe report called on Labour to introduce annual fees and higher standards to crack down on rogue operators who are helping drivers evade road rules.
It also identified that some suppliers operated out of private homes without background checks, while some owners had serious criminal convictions.
In response to Lord Hendy, Lord Snape, a Labour peer, questioned why someone could pay £40 to become a number plate issuer without many background checks.
Lord Hendy clarified that the application process to become a registered supplier was being tightened, with options, including fees and eligibility criteria, currently being considered.
A recent report has called for a massive crackdown on illegal number plates
| PAHe continued, saying: "The actions taken by the Government include considering online sales of number plates, which is clearly one source of illegal number plates."
Lord Hendy, who also serves as the Minister of State for Rail, said 41 per cent of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles were found to have non-compliant plates, according to a Transport for London report in March 2023.
Lord Hogan-Howe, who is the former chief of Scotland Yard, noted that 70 per cent of uninsured drivers are criminals, calling for stronger ANPR systems for police forces.
"People in that group are five times more likely to have collisions, and when they have them, it is nine times more likely that they will be serious. This is a really important piece of kit," the Lord said.