Industry experts are calling on the Government to launch an inquiry into the UK's vehicle registration system amid a "brewing crisis in road safety".
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety (APPGTS) has launched a new cross-party inquiry into number plates amid calls from MPs for urgent action.
Experts and drivers have noted issues with so-called "ghost plates" in recent months, arguing that they "threaten the system that keeps our roads safe".
Ghost plates are modified registration plates that look normal to the human eye, but are unreadable to Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
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This can often be done with a transparent film, raised digits made of non-compliant materials or altering specific characters.
The APPG has warned that the UK is not keeping pace with other countries in cracking down on illegal number plates, highlighting how technology has not kept pace with fraudulent practices.
Data from Transport for London reported that cases of number plates being cloned have spiked by 64 per cent in the last three years alone.
Professor Fraser Sampson, a former Surveillance Camera Commissioner, described the UK's vehicle registration framework as "wholly inadequate".
Experts are calling for more to be done to crack down on illegal number plates
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Professor Sampson, who is now part of the Vehicle Identification Group at Cranfield University, added that ghost plates and the rise of cloned plates posed a "significant enduring risk".
Sarah Coombes MP has led the charge against illegal number plates in Government, advocating for tougher punishments for motorists who flout rules.
Driving with an obscured number plate can result in Britons being slapped with a fine of up to £1,000, and the car could fail its MOT if the plate cannot be read.
In extreme circumstances, or when the driver is a repeat offender, they could be slapped with further penalties, the RAC warned.
What a 'ghost' number plate looks like to an ANPR camera | WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCILLATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Even minor modifications, like tuned number plates, are illegal, and the police can issue a £100 on-the-spot fine to people breaking the law.
Ms Coombes, the Labour MP for West Bromwich, has called for drivers who flout rules to receive a fine worth up to £1,000 and six points on their licence.
She introduced the Vehicle Registration Offences (Review) Bill under the Ten Minute Rule in the House of Commons, and it has already passed through the first reading.
The second reading of the Bill is scheduled to take place on Friday, October 31, although the Commons is not expected to be sitting on that day.
Sarah Coombes MP has called for the Government to crack down on number plates that evade traffic cameras | PAIn response to the growing calls for action, the Transport Safety APPG has launched an inquiry into vehicle registration plates.
It aims to hear from drivers and other key industry players on the topic, which could ultimately "contribute to the development of a more robust regulatory and enforcement system".
The inquiry also aims to facilitate "informed discussions" among policymakers, experts, the police and the public about non-compliant plates.
The Transport Safety APPG has opened the call for evidence to receive responses, with parties encouraged to take part before it closes at 11.59pm on October 24.