The drivers of foreign-registered cars continue to break and evade UK traffic law. Since it was revealed last September that only 25% of foreign-registered drivers who were sent a penalty notice in the first six months of 2008 paid their fines, the Metropolitan police have set up Operation Tripper to tackle traffic offenders who drive foreign vehicles and live abroad. Even with this new initiative, only four drivers have so far been prosecuted. This is despite new figures showing that in 2007/2008 alone, 8800 foreign-registered vehicles were caught on speed camera.
Darren Johnson said:
"In creating Operation Tripper the Metropolitan Police has made some ground in confronting the legal loopholes that surround foreign drivers, but more needs to be done to tackle the problem of UK drivers who register their vehicles abroad to avoid prosecution. We need to explore a change in the law to allow local traffic wardens and police to check the legality of all cars, including those with overseas number plates."
Notes to editors
1.) The Job Magazine, December 2008. An article in the Metropolitan Police’s magazine says that ‘Perhaps the most interesting findings from Operation Tripper is that there are many UK residents driving foreign-registered vehicles in an attempt to drive with impunity’.
2.) The number of traffic offences committed by drivers of foreign-registered vehicles has seen a sharp increase over the past four years. In 2005 76,644 vehicles were caught infringing bus lane, congestion charging and low emission zone laws. In 2007 this figure rose to 113, 325, and in the first six months of 2008 alone had already reached 118,526. Rather than see an increase in the number of fines received, the percentage of PCN’s paid by foreign-registered vehicles has dramatically decreased between 2005 and the first six months of 2008 from 39% to 25%.