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Road Tax evasion figures published

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (026) issued by The Government News Network on 14 February 2008

Figures out today on road tax evasion show that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) collected an estimated 98.5% of all potential revenue from road tax in 2007.

This year the survey was based on the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, providing a more accurate picture of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion.

Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said:

"Using ANPR technology gives us a much clearer picture of the level of road tax evasion. I am pleased to see that this survey indicates a low level of evasion - the DVLA is working hard to tackle road tax evasion.

"However, there is no room for complacency and we will be increasing the pressure on those who fail to properly license their vehicles. There is no way out for road tax evaders."

Previously road tax evasion figures were mainly collected manually but the figures are now primarily compiled using Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, giving a more precise reading of evasion levels.

The DVLA has put in place a package of measures which means that road tax is now easier to pay, but harder to avoid. This includes:

- making it more convenient for people to pay their road tax - millions of vehicle keepers are now enjoying the convenience of re-licensing their vehicles direct with DVLA, online or over the telephone.
- doubling the number of untaxed vehicles subject to wheel clamping and impounding, taking direct action to clamp 100,000 vehicles a year.
- putting in place a fleet of vehicles using state of the art ANPR equipment to detect and support enforcement action against users of unlicensed vehicles from a total of more than 10 million vehicle sightings per year.
- increasing the number of local authorities and police partners who use DVLA powers to operate their own local wheel clamping schemes, adding a further 36,000 unlicensed vehicles per year to the total seized.
- generating more than one million late-licensing penalties from DVLA records per year.
- trialling and awarding contracts to use debt collection agencies to pursue 40,000 people per month who have failed to pay the penalty for failing to tax their vehicles on time.

Notes to Editors

1. Because this new method was used to calculate the 2007 estimates, it is not possible to compare them to earlier figures.

2. Electronic Vehicle Licensing (EVL). DVLA currently carries out over 1 million EVL transactions per month.

3. Continuous Registration. DVLA currently issues an average of 100,000 Late Licensing Penalties (LLP) letters every month. The projected total volume for 2007/08 is 1.2 million LLPs.

4. DVLA has a fleet of ANPR cars capable of capturing data on all vehicle types across multiple lanes of traffic. DVLA ANPR units will read over 10 million vehicle movements this year and the Agency will issue penalties against the keepers of every unlicensed vehicle seen in use from that total.

5. Copies of Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion 2007 are available from the Department's website at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/vehicles/excisedutyevasion/

Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk