Car tax evasion triples after paper tax disc scrapped

Since the paper tax disc was abolished the number of unlicensed vehicles on the road has tripled.

The data, published every two years, shows that the government potentially lost out on £107m from 755,000 unlicensed vehicles last year.

The RAC said the decision to get rid of the paper tax disc three years ago has proved "costly" when it should have saved the Treasury £10m a year.

"It appears that having a visual reminder was an effective way to prompt drivers into renewing their car tax - arguably more drivers are now prepared to try their luck and see if they can get away with not paying any vehicle tax at all, or are simply forgetting to tax their vehicle when they are due to."

When the abolition of the paper tax disc was announced by then-Chancellor, George Osborne, the Treasury said it showed government was moving "into the modern age".

The RAC said a third of untaxed vehicles had changed hands since September 2016, indicating that many drivers were not aware that tax does not carry over when ownership changes.

The seller receives a refund of any full months of remaining tax while the new owner must tax the vehicle immediately.

Parking Sensor Fitting - 2017 Renault Captur

2017 Renault Captur fitted with matt black rear audible parking sensors by Watton Towing

Police warn Hertfordshire motorists about speeding ticket scam

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Cameras, Tickets and Collisions (CTC) has said a bogus email is being sent to residents claiming they owe money after being caught speeding.

The email is made to look like it has been sent from the police. A CTC spokesman confirmed a legitimate Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) would never display the ‘gov.uk’ logo.

She added: “If you receive an email of this nature, do not click on any links within the body of the email text and instead take a screen shot of it before reporting it directly to Action Fraud.”

An NIP sent from Hertfordshire Constabulary and other police forces would be served within 14 days of the alleged offence in the form of a physical letter  via first class post. 

 

Drivers who kill will now face life sentence

Dangerous drivers who cause death while using their mobile phones or speeding will now face life in prison.

Drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs will also face a life sentence. And there will be a new offence of causing serious injury through careless driving, as part of renewed efforts to improve road safety.

The new measures mean such drivers could face the same length of sentence as those convicted of manslaughter, with maximum penalties raised from 14 years to life.

Read the full story in the guardian

 

Thousands of Ticket Machines Not Accepting Old £1 Before Deadline

Motorists across the UK face chaos with thousands of ticket machines still not ready for the deadline of Sunday at 23.59pm after which the old round pounds fail to be legal tender.

MailOnline road tested the old pound to see how it fared in coin-operated machines days before the deadline and discovered that motorists travelling around the capital this weekend may struggle to park.

They tested a parking meter in Kensington, west London yesterday, which ate the coin and gave no ticket.

The British Parking Association says it is 'confident that the majority of parking machines are ready or will be ready to accept the new £1 coin'.

British Parking Association said the cost of replacing or converting 80,000 ticket machines will be up to £50million

It has advised members to ensure there are enough alternatives for motorists to pay for their parking, including card and smartphone options, as well as other cash denominations.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Hart, chief executive of the Automatic Vending Association (AVA), said: 'We believe that all machines owned by AVA members (around 380,000) are now accepting the new £1 coin.'

The AVA, which said it has worked closely with the Royal Mint throughout the planning of the new £1 coin, added that it has no access to information on those machines not owned by its members.
After Sunday, the round £1 coin can still be deposited at most High Street banks, which will have their own deadline – likely to be in about six months.

You can read more about the different tests that mail online conducted with the old round pound here

Britain’s shortest double yellow lines

Ever wondered where Britain’s shortest double yellow lines are? Well wonder no more... they are located in Cambridge - and you will get a ticket if you park on the lines which are just  over 11 inches (28cm) long.

The lines separate a residents’ parking zone with a pay and display area in Hamilton Road, just off Chesterton Road in West Chesterton. They lines may look tiny, but the fine is unfortunately not. Parking here will cost you £50 or £70.

Image source : Cambridge News

For some other interesting Cambridgeshire parking facts click here

5 NEW Colours in the Micro Range

We are proud to announce that we have 5 NEW colours to add to the micro parking sensors range.

• Red
• Pearl White
• Coal Grey
• Iron Grey
• Muddy Grey

This is in addition to the 4 micro colours that we currently have - Gloss Black, Matt Black, Silver and White

Don't worry if your car is a different colour as our matt black sensors are perfect for spray painting!

Although many of our customers fit these parking systems themselves we do realise that not everyone has the time or ability to attempt this themselves.

If you live in England Wales or Scotland we can offer a mobile fixed price installation at your home or place of work for any of the Dolphin systems - Prices for fitting start from just £85 for a fitter to come to you! (please see site for full cost details)