Tax-dodgers pay (From Penarth Times)

Tax-dodgers pay

CAR tax dodgers had a shock last week as many found their vehicles clamped.

Police Community Support Officers and DVLA wheel clampers carried out an operation in Penarth and Dinas Powys, targeting motorists who had not paid their road tax.

As a result, vehicles were clamped because they did not have, or were not displaying a valid road tax disc.

The DVLA use handheld computers to determine whether or not a vehicle is authorised to be clamped.

By entering the vehicle registration number into the handheld computer, the officers can determine immediately if the vehicle has or is displaying a registered tax disc, or if the tax disc being displayed is fraudulent.

Motorists whose vehicles are wheelclamped for not having a valid tax disc will have to pay a 200 release fee for the vehicle to be declamped at the roadside.

If not claimed within 24 hours, the vehicle will be impounded and the release fee rises to 280 plus 15 per day storage.

If a valid tax disc is shown when the vehicle is reclaimed, the DVLA will refund 120 of the release fee.

Unclaimed, unlicensed vehicles will be crushed within 14 days.

John Moore, DVLA Enforcement Manager, said: "From past experience we have found that up to 80 percent of untaxed vehicles have no insurance and up to 70 percent of the occupants of these vehicles have criminal records.

"We are sure that all law-abiding motorists support this type of initiative."