Experts are warning that the safety of roads could be at risk as interest in “ghost” number plates rises, amid calls for new laws to be introduced.
Sarah Coombes MP recently spoke in Parliament to demand a crackdown on “ghost” number plates, which she said were being used to get away with dangerous driving.
The registration plates have a reflective coating, meaning Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and police cameras cannot read the plates properly.
The Labour MP for West Bromwich said she wanted fines worth £1,000 and six penalty points to be introduced via a Ten Minute Rule Bill.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
A Labour MP has called for drivers to face harsher punishments if they have ‘ghost’ plates
PA
She said some people were using the plates to drive dangerously, either by speeding or performing risky manoeuvres in traffic, prompting the MP to call for harsher punishments.
At present, drivers can be fined £100 for having a ghost plate, which Coombes said was not enough, likening it to a fraction of the cost of a speeding ticket.
Mark Trimbee, CEO of Regtransfers, warned that the definition of “ghost plates” may not be universal with some describing them as having 3D or 4D lettering.
He acknowledged that there were legitimate concerns around drivers who were deliberately altering their number plates to evade enforcement.
However, he said it was vital to note that legal 3D and 4D plates, which have become more popular in recent years, are fully compliant with UK regulations.
He said that when these plates are seen on roads and have been manufactured in a proper manner, they should not interfere with camera detection.
Trimbee added: “It took a simple search on Google to find a number of cases in which the term ‘ghost plates’ was being applied to both 3D and 4D plates – which is likely to cause undue confusion.”
The expert confirmed that he was in support of the movement to crack down on ghost plates, but said the rules must be accurate and ensure that law-abiding drivers are not unfairly targeted.
It comes as data suggests the practice is becoming more popular with Google searches for “ghost MOT near me” surging by 320 per cent year-on-year.
Other searches have also seen staggering levels of growth including “dodgy MOT near me” which has seen year-on-year interest spike by 256 per cent.
A “ghost MOT” is when an MOT tester issues a pass certificate for a vehicle that has not been tested, and oftentimes, does not even turn up for the test.
The Government is hoping to crack down on the practice by requiring testers to provide photographic evidence that the vehicle was present during the test.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
What a ‘ghost’ number plate looks like to an ANPR camera
WOLVERHAMPTON COUNCIL
However, Andrew Jervis, Co-Founder and CEO of ClickMechanic, warned that this still may not be enough. He said: “A photo proves the car was there, it doesn’t prove the test was conducted properly.
“One option could be for MOT testers to plug in a diagnostics tool that reads a vehicle’s on-board diagnostics. Fault codes could be recorded this way, reducing some of the fraudulent MOTs.
“However, to really clamp down on this, the DVSA and enforcement teams need to target and crack down on places that offer these fake MOTs through fines and removing their licence.”
