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GEM Motoring Assist has suggested the current eyesight tests for drivers are ‘long out of date’, with the road safety organisation calling for tests every 10 years.

 

Neil Worth, GEM’s road safety officer, has said the Government should update laws to ensure a detailed eye examination is part of drivers’ photocard licence renewal process, which takes place every 10 years.

 

Worth said more than 3,000 fatal and serious injury collisions occur each year because of poor vision.

 

He added: “We believe it is entirely practical and sensible to require a test of visual acuity and field of view every 10 years, something that would fit in with licence renewal.

 

“Tests of this kind would not only make our roads safer, saving lives, disability and many millions of pounds through the reduction in the number of crashes, but they would also play a vital role valuable tool in the early diagnosis of many other costly medical conditions, irrespective of driving.”

 

GEM has worked with Felicity Gill, a community optometrist, who explained that she sees patients daily who are concerned about their own driving, as well astheir friends and family members’ driving experiences.

 

The most common ageing change in the eye is cataract (clouding of the lens inside the eye), with conditions such as diabetes/diabetic eye disease, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration also causing concern.

 

With drivers staying on the road to their 80s, GEM believes that regular eyesights should be mandatory.

 

Worth concluded: “There are many benefits for a driver to staying mobile as long as possible. However, safety must remain the number one priority for everyone.

 

“We also cannot ignore the greater volume of traffic and the general increase in distractions, both inside and outside the vehicle, which further point to the clear need for more regular and detailed eyesight testing.”  By Graham Hill & Fleet News

Company fleet managers have been praised for educating drivers around the use of AdBlue, but the AA says education of all drivers must continue.

 

The latest data from the AA shows that there were 5% fewer call-outs related to the diesel exhaust fluid in the first half of 2019, compared with the same period the previous year.

 

The news follows a peak last year, in which the organisation reported seeing 23,000 AdBlue-related breakdowns in the 12-months to June 2018.

 

While diesel sales are down almost 20% year-to-date 2019, the fuel-type still makes up more than a quarter of new car sales.

 

In addition, the roll-out of Euro6 emissions regulations and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology means that AdBlue usage is on the increase.

 

However, AA technicians told Fleet News that fewer drivers are making the mistake of running out of the fluid while call-outs related to system faults are also on the decline.

 

Stuart Thomas, director of fleet and SME at the AA, said: “Last year a lack of driver education was leading to significant AdBlue breakdowns, but we are pleased to see that knowledge levels seem to be on the increase.

 

“Fleet managers are obviously doing a good job updating drivers on what they need to do. And, if you’ve run out once, you are unlikely to make the same mistake again.”

 

Despite the positive trend, the AA’s Business Services team is keen to emphasise that educating drivers is far from over.

 

Most drivers will need to top up their AdBlue at least once between services, so it is important to keep an eye on dashboard warnings, particularly for high mileage fleet drivers or those who are jumping in and out of different cars in the company pool, it said.

 

Thomas continued: “We’ve all done it, jumped into an unfamiliar car and decided to take a chance on leaving the warning lights for the next poor person to get behind the wheel.

 

“However, when AdBlue runs out, the engine’s power and performance will be severely limited, and you won’t be able to restart the engine when you stop.

 

“The good news is that the warnings will come up with plenty of time to get your car topped up. The onus is on drivers to keep their fleet managers informed if they don’t get it sorted themselves.”

 

AA technicians are also warning fleets not to get caught out when the weather turns colder this autumn and winter.

 

Thomas said: “Changes in the driving conditions, whether that is heavy payloads or extreme weather, can significantly impact how quickly you get through your tank of AdBlue.

 

“The size of the tank also makes a massive difference. While you might top up anywhere between every 3,000 and 12,000 miles in the spring and summer, this could drop dramatically in the cold weather.”  By Graham Hill – Thanks To Fleet News.

European Union called on to “ramp up” hydrogen stations in the face of “severely lacking” infrastructure.

 

Car makers have urged the European Union to “ramp up” investment in hydrogen filling stations, as the current infrastructure is “severely lacking.”

 

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) says “a strategic plan for the pan-European deployment of infrastructure for fuel cell vehicles needs to be put in place”, with the organisation also calling for consideration to be given to the requirements of hydrogen lorries.

 

The majority of the focus on provision for alternatively fuelled vehicles has been around electric cars and their charging points, with hydrogen vehicles left behind.

 

Some 17 new hydrogen stations were opened in Germany last year, bringing the total number in the country to 60; that compares to roughly 25,000 EV chargers. In the UK, there are around 15,000 EV chargers, against just 17 hydrogen stations.

 

Critics of hydrogen cars point to their expense (the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai both cost upwards of £60,000) as well as their rarity and complexity. Generating hydrogen fuel, meanwhile, is also problematic, with the majority of the element captured using fossil fuels.

 

But hydrogen advocates cite the fuel’s advantages, namely that cars running on hydrogen can be refulled as quickly as models with petrol and diesel engines and offer similar range. The cars themselves produce no tailpipe emissions other than water.

 

Hydrogen generation methods, meanwhile, could in theory move away from fossil fuels in future years, just as electricty generation has, to some extent. Research by Auto Express, meanwhile, found that some organisations were covering higher mileage in hydrogen cars compared to EVs.

 

The ACEA’s director general, Eric-Mark Huitema, said: “Along with other alternatively-powered vehicles, fuel cell vehicles hold a strong potential to help make the transition to zero-emission mobility.

 

“But their ability to reach this potential depends on a network of hydrogen refuelling stations being built up right across Europe. Today, there are just 125 hydrogen stations in the EU, so there is much work to be done in the coming years.”

 

Hydrogen cars will overtake electric cars, expert claims.

 

Electric power for cars “has its limits” and cars will be hydrogen-powered from 2030, an automotive-industry expert has said.

 

Dr Felix Gress, head of corporate communications and public affairs at automotive technology firm Continental, told an audience in Germany that electric cars represent poor value for money compared to petrol or diesel alternatives.

 

“For the customers, it will be difficult to accept such a car in the market – you pay a higher price, you get less of a car, so it will be a tough sell.”

 

And, while EVs may be grabbing the headlines and industry attention, Gress predicted that focus will be reversed within a decade or so. “The fuel cell is not ready to kick in yet,” Gress added. “By 2030, we’ll see that coming, especially in passenger cars that run long distances, or trucks.”

 

Gress added that manufacturers need to focus on electric cars in order to lower their fleet emissions and meet upcoming regulations in various markets, many of which have plans to limit or ban the sale of new conventionally powered petrol and diesel cars.

 

While these motivations may be driving the automotive industry, Gress warned drivers may not actually buy electric cars large numbers, partly due to what he perceives as their inherent limitations. “The battery technology, according to our estimations, has its limits,” he admitted, adding that “it doesn’t generate enough range” for some people’s needs.

 

Circling back around to the topic of hydrogen vehicles, Gress said this was something Continental is considering. “Fuel cell is not out of reach, I would say. The question is when it would kick in. We are working on that area, too.”  By Graham Hill & AutoExpress

Official DVSA statistics show vast number of dangerous vehicles have deemed dangerous since the updated MoT was introduced.

 

Almost three million vehicles have failed their MoTs as a result of ‘dangerous’ defects, with the updated MoT test revealing the true extent of how badly maintained almost 10 per cent of Britain’s cars are.

 

The MoT test underwent one of the most significant shake-ups in its 59-year history in May 2018, when new defect categories (Minor, Major and Dangerous) and fresh checks were brought in.

 

Official data from the 12 months since those changes were introduced has revealed that 2,952,487 of the 31,285,618 vehicles submitted for their MoT failed last year due to defects that were classified as Dangerous. That means 9.4 per cent of vehicles tested had a fault that posed “a direct and immediate risk to road safety” or “a serious impact on the environment.”

 

The vast majority (29,537,183) of the vehicles tested were cars, with 2,769,081 (9.37 per cent) failing due to a Dangerous defect. Such faults include missing brake pads, twisted steering shafts, and exhausts that are “likely to become detached.”

 

Precisely a third of all cars submitted for their MoT in the 12 months since the test changed failed due to Major or Dangerous faults, far higher than the 17 per cent of failing motorbikes, and 29.7 per cent of minibuses. Worryingly, though, 40.9 per cent of goods vehicles with a weight of between two and 37 tonnes failed their test, with over 13 per cent doing so because of a Dangerous fault.

 

And officials from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which is responsible for administering the MoT, are concerned that the number of vehicles with dangerous faults is likely to be even higher.

 

Neil Barlow, the DVSA’s head of vehicle engineering explained: “With a quarter of cars turning up late for MOT every year, that means there are lots of potentially dangerous vehicles badly in need of inspection.”

 

“We urge people to sign up to our free MOT reminder service so they get their MOTs done on time, helping keep Britain’s roads safe.”

 

The most common cause of an MoT failure in the 12 months from May 2018 were problems with suspension components (these caused 18.3 per cent of failures), followed by issues with lights and electrical equipment (14.9 per cent) and brake problems (8.8 per cent).

 

Vehicle type	Number tested	Failure rate	Number of ‘Dangerous’ defects	Percentage with Dangerous defects
Motorbikes	951,777	17 per cent	48,886	5.14 per cent
Cars	29,537,183	33.3 per cent	2,769,081	9.37 per cent
Minibuses	47,605	29.7 per cent	3,623	7.61 per cent
Goods vehicles	749,053	40.9 per cent	100,897	13.46 per cent
Total	31,285,618	33.01 per cent	2,952,487	9.43 per cent

 

By Graham Hill, Thanks To AutoExpress

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps is apparently set to finally agree to increase the speed limit to 80mph. The issue has caused disagreement from all quarters over the years resulting in the decision being kicked into the long grass. But the entrance of a new argument has caused the issue to be raised again and look like the new limit may finally be adopted.

 

The new entrant into the equation is the increase in electric cars now using the motorways. One of the main reasons for not adopting the increased speed limit was the amount of extra CO2 spewed out by petrol and diesel cars at higher speeds. But this argument falls away as electric cars increase.

 

The other major argument is safety. The public and safety groups fear that accidents will increase if the limit is increased. But this ignores the fact that our motorways are the safest roads in the UK whilst being the fastest so the logical conclusion is that speed cannot be the biggest contributing factor to accidents.

 

Motorways are built for high speed, they are generally better maintained, straighter with fewer hills to climb. So an increase of 10mph will make motorways no more dangerous. Accidents on motorways are more often down to weather conditions such as snow, ice, fog, rain and wind rather than driving too fast.

 

Modern cars have masses of safety equipment fitted, set to increase next year as a result of EU rules making it compulsory for more safety equipment to be fitted as standard next year. The real problem is poor driving competency, driving too close to cars in front, how to handle aquaplaning and which way to steer when the rear tyres lose all grip.

 

With new smart motorways doing away with hard shoulders and even those with hard shoulders confusing drivers who are unaware of the rules if you break down, safety campaigners should concentrate on education rather than fighting an increase in speed limit. Over to you Mr Shapps – let’s get this done?  By Graham Hill

European think tank claims ‘carmakers’ strategy to promote sales of inefficient, higher-emitting SUVs” is making CO2 targets hard to hit.

 

The popularity of relatively heavy, unaerodynamic SUVs is to blame for the recent rise in new-car carbon dioxide emissions not, as has often been reported, the falling popularity of diesel cars, according to a European think tank.

 

Industry figures show the average CO2 emissions of a new car rose by 2.9 per cent in 2018. European new-car CO2 emissions have also increased following years of decline, falling by nearly 22g/km between 2010 and 2016, but subsequently increasing by a provisional 2g/km in 2018.

 

Carmakers and environmental experts have often cited the falling popularity of diesel cars – which emit less CO2 than their petrol equivalents – as key to this bucked trend. But the European Federation for Transport and Environment think tank, more commonly known as Transport and Environment, says “contrary to carmakers’ claims”, the SUV “sales boom” has increased average CO2 emissions by 2.6g/km since 2013, with falling diesel sales responsible for a mere 0.25g/km rise.

 

The average emissions of the cars produced by manufacturers must be 95g/km by 2021, with penalties of €95 per g/km, per car, for companies not meeting those targets. Potentially huge fines have seen Fiat Chrysler team up with electric car firm Tesla to ‘share’ CO2 emissions.

 

Transport and Environment warns that “EU carmakers are only halfway to achieving their 2021 CO2 target…This is explained by carmakers’ strategy to promote sales of inefficient, higher-emitting SUVs”. Transport and Environment also claims carmakers have decided to “delay the investments into clean technologies required to meet the car CO2 law (in force since 2009) until the last moment.”

 

In July last year, the UK Government’s environmental watchdog made similar claims about SUVs, but this latest report puts firm figures on how much of a rise SUVs are reportedly responsible for.

 

SUVs find favour with buyers for various reasons, including ease of access for those with reduced mobility; convenience for parents who would have to stoop to strap their children into child seats in a conventional car; and the added road presence some motorists feel they have.

 

Visibility from the high driver’s seat of an SUV can also be improved compared to a conventional hatchback or saloon but, with SUVs making up just 7 per cent of the new-car market in 2009, 36 per cent today, and a predicted 40 per cent by 2021, that height advantage is likely to soon diminish as Europe’s pool of vehicles grows in stature.

 

Toyota is highlighted by the report as being the company best-placed to meet its CO2 target thanks to the fact that 56 per cent of its European sales are petrol-electric hybrids. The Renault Nissan Alliance is also in a strong position, mainly, according to the report “due to an early focus on sales of EVs such as the Nissan Leaf and the Renault Zoe.” Volkswagen, it is said, “could comply through a variety of tools such as improvements to combustion engines (new petrol engine and mild hybridisation of the new Golf) and a big ramp up of EVs through its all-electric ID.3.”

 

Firms most at risk of struggling with the 95g/km target include Honda and Ford, with Hyundai-Kia also highlighted as a possible concern. Transport and Environment says, however, that Hyundai and Kia have “recently begun a significant ramp-up of its EV and hybrid portfolio and sales.” The authors also consider that “Fiat-Chrysler would likely not be able to meet its target but will now comply thanks to its pooling arrangement with Tesla.”

 

Julia Poliscanova, Transport and Environment’s director of clean vehicles, criticised car makers for not doing enough to reduce emissions, but predicted: “We are going to see good quality, affordable EVs in the next year or two, not ten, and that’s excellent news for consumers who’ll be saving lots of money at the pump.”  By Graham Hill with the help of Auto Express

The Transport Select Committee calls for ‘nationwide ban’ on pavement parking to prevent pedestrians from being put in danger.

 

Drivers should be banned from parking on pavements so that pedestrians are not put in danger and vulnerable people, such as the elderly and the disabled, don’t feel trapped in their homes, MPs have said.

 

A Transport Select Committee report has concluded that the Government should implement a ‘nationwide ban’ on pavement parking across England, with room in the legislation for the Secretary of State for Transport to allow local authorities to make exemptions in their respective areas.

 

The report argues that pavement parking places pedestrians in danger from moving traffic or trip hazards, such as a kerb, by forcing them to step into the road to get around stationary vehicles. People with mobility issues or visual impairment and their carers are “disproportionately affected” by this.

 

In addition, the Committee says pavement parking exacerbates or can be a cause of social isolation and loneliness, as it makes vulnerable people feel unable to safely leave their homes or physically prevents them from doing so altogether in some cases.

 

The report took aim at the Government, with the Committee finding it “profoundly regrettable” that no “concrete actions” have yet been taken to tackle the issue of pavement parking.

 

At present, pavement parking is banned in London and Scotland is considering following suit. In 2015, the Government said it would look at the issue in England, but the resulting consultations and reviews did nothing to improve the situation.

 

Lillian Greenwood MP, chair of the Transport Select Committee, commented: “We are deeply concerned about the Government’s failure to act on this issue, despite long-standing promises to do so.

 

“We appreciate that this is a thorny problem that may be difficult to resolve to the satisfaction of all, but the Government’s inaction has left communities blighted by unsightly and obstructive pavement parking and individuals afraid or unable to leave their homes or safely navigate the streets.

 

“Scotland is currently legislating for a national ban, while London took action to tackle this issue 45 years ago. The Government must act to improve the situation in the rest of England and it must do so quickly.”

 

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “We are committed to ensuring that our roads work for everyone, but are aware that pavement parking can cause real problems for a variety of road users. This is why the Department recently concluded a review to better understand the case for changing the law, and will be announcing our next steps over the coming months.” By Graham Hill with thanks to AutoExpress

Many new cars, without most drivers knowing it have a battery recharging system fitted that operates in a similar way to KERS on an F1 motor racing car. This happens because with so much draw on the battery in a modern car with climate control, audio systems, sat navs and other big users of the electrical system, including firing up the car, more power generation is required than a traditional car generator.

 

With so much charging and draining going on the batteries must be much more sturdy than the batteries fitted to my early cars so it’s important that you have fitted the correct quality of battery when changing it. A situation understood by an Audi TT driver who bought a used car for use mainly at the weekend.

 

So he bought a replacement battery from the RAC and got them to fit it. All was fine but after about 18 months and well within the warranty period the battery failed. He called out the RAC, costing him £30 as he wasn’t a member but they said if the battery was faulty they would replace the battery and refund the call-out fee.

 

However, when the engineer inspected the battery using their test equipment it said the battery was faulty but the diagnostic machine told the engineer not to replace it. RAC Customer Care responded to the driver’s complaint, as explained by Whatcar, in a letter that said the most probable cause of the failure was lack of use which breached their warranty as being poorly maintained.

 

The driver, knowing that lack of use could still drain the battery and over 18 months he had only driven 2,030 miles he put the battery on trickle charge when the battery was not in use. This was explained to Whatcar who stepped up and contacted the RAC.

 

In the end the driver was reimbursed the callout and the cost of a new battery but as we expect people to use their cars less and use public transport more surely the manufacturers should look at this situation and make batteries that hold their charge better and ensure that unnecessary systems shut down when the car is parked.

 

In the meantime, whether it’s a warranty, insurance policy or finance agreement it’s important to read them and understand all the terms and conditions. This is something that I’m campaigning for, better pre-contract information. The driver should have been made aware of this key piece of information before taking the battery.

 

By Graham Hill

As the number of stolen cars fitted with keyless entry continue to hit the headlines causing drivers with the system fitted to their cars to have sleepless nights whilst others of us are paying for the cars stolen in increased premiums.

 

Some have taken to fitting steering locks each time they leave their cars but some manufacturers have started taking steps to avoid crooks being able to pick up signals coming from your ‘key’ indoors, then transmitting the signal to a colleague by the car then gaining entry to the car and driving away.

 

Ford have brought out a simple switch, whereby you can disable the keyless entry but as one owner found, having bought his desirable Focus ST just before the switch was fitted it can’t be retro-fitted.

 

But all is not lost. There are pouches and boxes that you can put your ‘key’ into that will block the signal and if you’re brave apparently you can put it in the microwave but don’t forget it’s in there as any metal could blow up your microwave or if plastic it will melt.

 

Ford, along with other manufacturers have come up with a new keyless key that uses sensor technology. Called the sleeping key fob it is still to be launched but when released Ford drivers will be able to buy the new style fobs for £65 per key (Fiesta) and £72 per key (Focus) with no mention of any other models.

 

A sensor in the fob detects that there has been no movement for more than 40 seconds and disables it so it no longer emits a signal. Whilst the new keys should have been available in May Whatcar reported that the keys were still not available in their October edition.

 

Other manufacturers are working on similar replacements so contact your local dealer for an update if you are still concerned about crooks gaining entry to your car using keyless signals.

 

By Graham Hill

Number plate offences are at a five-year high, so just how easy is it to buy a dodgy plate and what is the DVLA doing about it?

The UK’s number plate system is wide open to abuse because of the easy availability of fake plates online, while the number of traffic stops for missing or dodgy plates reached a five-year high in 2018, Auto Express can exclusively reveal.

 

In two linked investigations, we asked police how many number plate offences they had issued tickets for between 2014 and 2018; separately, then we ordered three sets of number plates from online suppliers, all of which were delivered no questions asked, and would be illegal to display on the road.

 

• How to transfer a number plate from one car to another

 

Official data obtained by Auto Express via Freedom of Information requests shows that police issued 9,170 tickets for number plate offences last year across the UK, the highest figure in the past five years.

 

Number plate offences

2014    8,635

2015    7,662

2016    7,671

2017    8,247

2018    9,170

A total of 41,385 stops were made by police between 2014 and 2018, with officers issuing 11 per cent more tickets last year compared with 2017 for number plates not meeting regulations, or plates that were missing from vehicles altogether. London’s Metropolitan police issued the most tickets or rectification notices for dodgy plates (4,411) over the past five years, with Northern Ireland police issuing the second highest number of tickets (4,005).

 

What’s the penalty?

 

Motorists can be issued with a Traffic Offence Reports (TOR) or a Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme (VDRS) notice (escaping a penalty if the fault is fixed within 14 days) for various offences related to number plates, including missing or obscured plates, and plates not conforming to regulations.

 

Top forces for number plate offences

Police force     Offences (2014-18)

Metropolitan   4,411

Police Servic of Northern Ireland       4,005

West Yorkshire           3,501

Humberside     2,652

North Wales    2,274

Of the 35 police forces to respond to our request, 23 provided offence codes, revealing that roughly 70 per cent of stops made for number plate offences are for driving or keeping a vehicle “when the registration mark fails to conform to regulations”. Number plates not meeting regulations could contain improperly placed characters, be made up using an unofficial font, or have colour-capped screws placed in their characters to change how the plate reads.

 

What do the authorities say?

 

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) told us that all number plate suppliers based in the UK “must be registered with DVLA and must conduct checks before supplying number plates”. The organisation added,“It is an offence to not request the required documentation from the customer [or] keep a record of the transaction, or to supply a non-compliant number plate.”

 

However, at least two of the suppliers we ordered plates from are based in Jersey and they may not be breaking the law there, because it is a separate jurisdiction from the UK.

 

The DVLA told us: “Our officers conduct intelligence-led enforcement activities to tackle a wide range of offences, to investigate and, where necessary, prosecute suppliers – including those who trade illegally using the internet.” The organisation also highlighted that drivers who alter the appearance of their plates face a fine of up to £1,000 and risk having their personalised registrations confiscated.

 

• Banned UK number plates

 

The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) told us “ANPR [automatic number plate recognition] data is increasingly enabling police to identify vehicles operating on cloned plates using tools such as journey time analysis. Thisfurther informs our investigative work.” The organisation also advised that “local forces continue to offer crime prevention advice… dependent upon the particular offending seen in their locality”.

 

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “Car cloning is on the rise and the DVLA is not doing enough to tackle online retailers. Buying banned registration plates in road-legal specifications is concerning, but more worrying

 

is the ability to lift a number plate off a website and copy it without any ownership checks.

 

“Ultimately, the buck stops with DVLA for not doing enough to tackle online retailers issuing plates to those who have no legal right to claim them.”

 

What we did

 

Cloned plate

 

We copied a registration from a BMW X5 (the most commonly stolen car in 2018, according to Tracker) offered for sale in an online classified ad.

 

We then ordered this number plate, LS15 ***, from Jersey-based My Showplates, and were not asked for any details aside from an address and credit card number during the ordering process. The plates arrived within two days. My Showplates did not respond to our requests for comment.

 

Banned plate

 

We bought the number plate BO19 CKS – a registration banned from the road by the DVLA for being too rude – from A1 Show Plates, a company with an almost identical address to My Showplates.

 

Despite selecting ‘Road Legal’ from a ‘Plate Legality’ menu, this banned plate arrived within two days, and we were not asked for documentation other than an address and credit card number. A1 Show Plates did not respond to our requests for comment.

 

Incorrectly spaced plate

 

NU02BER, a legitimate reg offered for sale by the DVLA, was supplied to us by Show Plates Direct. But we took out the space between the ‘2’ and ‘B’ when ordering the plate, making it illegal to display on the road.

 

We contacted Show Plates Direct, who initially claimed that it had “no such order for this registration or indeed payment from this E-mail address”. The firm did not reply when we provided an order number and explained to them that we used a different E-mail address to place our order.

 

The responsible vendor

While the three companies above sent us dodgy plates with no questions asked, one supplier acted in accordance with UK regulations.

 

• Most expensive personalised number plates

 

DVLA-approved, Yorkshire-based Number1Plates asked us to provide a copy of our V5C logbook, retention certificate or other proof of ownership, as well as a utility or bank bill. We did not send these documents, did not receive the dodgy plates and Number1Plates subsequently refunded our £25.97.

 

Why are fake plates bad news?

 

Police Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras may not read improperly spaced number plates, plates with incorrect fonts and those with colour-capped screws. This makes crime enforcement more difficult – although police stress that ANPR tools are becoming more sophisticated.

 

A more worrying issue is cloned plates. A criminal with a stolen car may find an identical car for sale online, get a duplicate plate made up based on the advertised car’s registration, then fit this plate to the stolen car. The advertised car won’t have been reported stolen so this cloned plate won’t activate police alerts, despite being placed on a stolen car. The number of drivers telling the DVLA that their car had been cloned has quadrupled over the past six years. By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express