15 January 2002
NEW STINGRAY SYSTEM TARGETS ROAD TAX DODGERS
Sam Foster MLA, the Minister of the Environment, launched new Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) Cameras for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland’s (DVLNI) today in Belfast. This system known as Stingray will detect unlicensed vehicles on the move for the first time.
Mr Foster said: "These new cameras put road tax dodgers in the frame now. DVLNI camera teams can move quickly from location to location, and those who previously took the risk of driving whilst unlicensed, will soon realise that there is no place to hide."
The Minister said that law abiding motorists have nothing to fear from the cameras.
"Honest motorists are fed up with the small hard core who continually evade paying their road tax. The Exchequer loses millions of pounds in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) each year to these evaders and many may also be evading insurance and vehicle testing requirements.
"This camera technology is being brought to bear in targeting these evaders. I want to emphasise that anyone caught will quickly realise that the penalties for evasion are much greater than the cost of the licence.
"The cameras will be used to target only those who evade paying their road tax. Before enforcement action is taken, DVLNI staff will ensure that the offence details match the vehicle and licensing computer records."
The special vans will operate from lay-bys and over-bridges and detect unlicensed vehicles on the move. The cameras will read the number plates of passing vehicles, check them immediately against DVLNI records, and store electronically the images of vehicles found to be unlicensed. This photographic evidence can be presented in court in support of prosecutions.
"The new ANPR cameras are a powerful deterrent to those who may consider risking driving whilst unlicensed," said DVLNI Chief Executive, Brendan Magee. "We have an extensive publicity campaign to encourage all motorists to check that their vehicles are properly licensed and, if not, to relicense them immediately. We warn evaders that from today, mobile camera units will be operating throughout Northern Ireland."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- A roadside survey of unlicensed vehicles in Northern Ireland conducted in August 1999 revealed that the level of road tax evasion is running at around 10%. This equates to 79,000 unlicensed vehicles with a revenue loss of £12m. This is almost three times higher than the level of evasion in GB, (3.9% which equates to £188m).
- A recent vehicle excise duty wheelclamping campaign held last September was highly successful and encouraged over 28,000 motorists to voluntarily relicense their vehicles. This resulted in the recovery of £3.2 million in additional revenue that would otherwise have been lost.
- Not having a current licence disc is illegal and could be expensive. Offenders face a fine of up to £1,000 for a private car or motorcycle and up to £23,000 for a heavy goods vehicle. In addition to paying a fine, convicted offenders will have to pay back duty penalties from the date the vehicle was last licensed, together with costs.
- The new Stingray automatic number plate reader has been type approved to the highest standard by the Home Office. It is a computer that collects images of unlicensed moving vehicles from digital cameras. The evidence collected by Stingray is totally secure and tamperproof.
- The system is DVLNI owned and supported by the manufacturer, Futronics Ltd.
- The system is capable of working day and night and can detect unlicensed vehicles travelling at speeds even in excess of 100mph.
- For further information contact Paddy Murphy, DOE Press Office, Tel: 028 9054 0014.
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