Motorists face £1,000 fines and car insurance spikes  for breaking driving rules under new proposal

These modified number plates use reflective coatings that make it difficult for Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to read, enabling drivers to evade speeding fines and other traffic penalties.

New data revealed major hotspots for "ghost plates" across the UK, with Humberside being found to be the worst offending region for illegal number plate violations, with 122 incidents per 100,000 people and 1,161 total offences recorded in 2024.

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Norfolk reported 926 offences, while Greater Manchester recorded 2,791 offences. At the opposite end of the scale, Northumbria saw just 60 offences last year.

Warwickshire recorded 65 offences, while Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire each reported 90 offences throughout 2024.

The research, which analysed data from police forces across England, highlighted thousands of reported incidents involving illegal or non-compliant number plates, which were specifically designed to evade detection.

To combat the growing number of offences, earlier this year, the Vehicle Registration Offences Review Bill was introduced into Parliament.

It calls for penalties to be raised from the current £100 fine to at least £1,000, alongside six penalty points on driving licences.

West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes, who introduced the bill, said: "Dodgy number plates are no longer a fringe issue. They're everywhere, and they're undermining the rule of law on our roads.

"I know this Government is committed to making our roads safer for everyone. Tightening the law on number plates will be a huge step in the right direction."

On top of the proposed legislation changes, the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association has also written to the Government, warning that numerous suppliers have failed to register with the DVLA, making them illegal providers and contributing to the rise in ghost plates and cloning cases.

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The association’s chairman, Michael Flanagan, warned: "Far from being the tightly regulated industry it should be, number plates are increasingly being sold by unscrupulous, below-the-radar suppliers using non-compliant, untraceable materials.

"They rarely ask for the documentation that the DVLA requires. This is a criminal offence and enables serious criminals and terrorists to move around the roads undetected."

Quotezone CEO Greg Wilson cautioned that even three penalty points on a licence due to illegal number plates could increase car insurance premiums by an average of five per cent, rising to 25 per cent for six penalty points.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said that due to the "proliferation" of ANPR cameras used for enforcement, "it simply isn't right that criminals can get away with these offences by easily purchasing illegal ghost plates."

A DVLA spokesperson said: "We work with the police and Trading Standards to take action against suppliers who do not comply with the law.

"A legitimate supplier will always ask to see ID and entitlement documents before selling a number plate. Where this doesn't happen, members of the public can report this directly to their local Trading Standards."

Transport Minister Simon Lightwood confirmed the DVLA is working with the National Police Chiefs' Council and Trading Standards to crack down on illegal plates and "4D plates" with raised characters.

Several police forces have begun dedicated operations, with Nottinghamshire Police recently equipping their Roads Policing Unit with specialised equipment designed to detect ghost plates.