West Mercia Police seize 840 cars from the road

West Mercia Police seized 838 vehicles in the force region area in 2016 – almost a seven-fold increase on 2014.

A total of 1,419 cars were seized in the region between 2014 and 2016 for not having road tax.

But information given through a Freedom if Information request, show police taking a far harder line now than they were two years ago.

In 2014, just 124 vehicles were seized in the West Mercia area, including Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. That figure more than doubled in 2015 to 457 and almost doubled again in 2016 to 838.

Police today warned it had more trained officers on the road across Shropshire to deal with cars that had not been taxed.

It is an offence to drive a vehicle or allow someone to drive a vehicle on a road without road tax. Motorists caught flouting the rules can be fined up to £1,000 or five times the annual road tax fee.

Anne Tugwell, of West Mercia Police, said the force has seen a jump in the number of vehicles being seized because it has increased the number of its officers trained in DVLA powers to deal with vehicles not displaying proof of licensing.

And, while tax discs are no longer required by vehicles, automatic number plate recognition makes it easier to haul over offenders.

She said: "West Mercia has invested in training up officers in enforcing the law, especially in regard of foreign registered unlicensed vehicles. This has led directly to the jump in the number of vehicles being seized."

She warned people who do not have tax that they face having their vehicle being taken from them at the side of the road.

She said: "Untaxed vehicles are routinely seized at the roadside. They are only returned to the owner upon payment of due tax and a penalty of up to £1,000. Alternatively they may be scrapped or sold when owners do not claim the vehicle back."

Paper tax discs were scrapped in 2014 as part of moves by the Government to embrace new technology. But it remains the obligation of drivers to renew their tax and reminders continue to be sent out.

Police say they absence of tax discs makes no difference when it comes to identifying cars with no tax as they can determine the status of each vehicle in seconds through its number plate.