New police team to crack down on illegal number plates across England

A centralised crackdown on illegal number plates will target organised crime groups and drivers who dodge fines by bringing together data and information from police forces across England, the government has said.

The newly-created National Roads Policing Coordination Centre (NRPCC) will see improved collaboration across forces as well as new technology, such as specialist goggles that can detect number plates that have been made unreadable to cameras.

Illegal number plates are often used by organised crime groups to move stolen goods and to evade speeding, parking and clean air zone penalties, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.

Drivers with incorrectly displayed or missing number plates can be fined up to £1,000.

Illegal number plates can come in many forms including cloned plates - which copy the registration of a legitimate vehicle - and ghost plates - where a transparent film is used to make them undetectable to cameras.

Vehicles that hide from number plate recognition cameras are harder for police to track down when they are stolen or linked to crimes.

Policing and crime minister Sarah Jones said: "Illegal number plates are not a victimless offence.

"They are used by criminals to avoid detection, move illegal goods and stay one step ahead of law enforcement."

She said by bringing forces together and making better use of technology the new team would track down offenders faster and disrupt gangs.

Ch Supt Marc Clothier, deputy national co-ordinator for the NRPCC, said: "The police forces involved in our ghost plates operation have shown how effective a targeted and intelligence-led approach is in tackling offenders as well as educating and supporting drivers in ensuring their number plates are compliant."