National Numbers Articles

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is a hot topic on the web at the moment with both sides of the argument being discussed at length. Whatever you think about it, it looks here to stay. The technology used is really sophisticated, the camera captures an image of the plate and then converts it into a text string. This text string is then compared to a database of registration numbers so police can check the car’s status. By using infra-red cameras the plate recognition system works at night too.

The system is currently being used by many police forces in the UK, and in Lancashire 25 fixed ANPR cameras are going to be installed on the counties roads as part of the polices action plan to tackle travelling criminals. It has in fact been in use since 2002 by the police but seems to becoming more widespread.

Whether you own a standard DVLA number plate or a personalised number plate, it doesn’t really matter. If your vehicle has been involved in, or associated with a crime, the number could be on a police database somewhere. Is this an infringement of personal data? We leave it up to you to decide.

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Recently it has been claimed that the Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Driver should not be allowed to sell various motorist details to parking enforcement companies. The British Drivers Association stated that car owners need not worry about the private information of the owners being passed over to the “extortionists”. These comments were made after two MPs came forward in an attempt to condemn these practices.

Moreover, Labour representative Gordon Prentice and Liberal Democrat Norman Baker voiced their concerns that the motorist was given fines up to £230 by the “crooks and shady operators” for allegedly parking illegally. Nevertheless, British Drivers Association spokesman Nigel Humphries stated that the drivers did not have any option but to hand over the details to the DVLA. He also further stated that “they usually expect this information to be recovered by the government on behalf of official purposes only.” In addition, Mr. Humphries also further requested the country’s leaders to end this specific ambiguity in the law.

Apart from this news, the British Drivers Association has also recently criticised the plans for the introduction of 50 mph speed limits near all rural single carriageways.

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A car registration plate is something that is unique to every vehicle and is also a legal requirement which needs to be present. It became a legal requirement in 1904 when every vehicle had to to be entered on the government’s vehicle register and had to always carry a number plate. The main motive behind this was that in case of any accident the vehicle should be easy to track.

The number plates of vehicles in the UK have an individual character. The registration system in the UK is supervised by the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) while in Northern Ireland it is over seen by the DVA (Driver and Vehicle Agency).

You can have number plates produced in slightly different styles. However, you will have to confirm the font meets legal requirements. Presently the font that is used is known as ‘Charles Wright 2001′. It has also been compacted to allow the voluntary blue ‘GB’ Euro border. The number plate lettering uses a suitable font as there is an obvious difference between letters such as ‘D’ and ‘0′ or ‘8′ and ‘B’.

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If car cruisers use the car park in Blackwood, they can be fined by the supermarket chain Asda. The town store recently installed two automatic number plate recognition cameras that can catch the car cruisers in the parking lot. The banned drivers will be having their cars number plates named and shamed on a 32 inch LED screen.

For a long time, the store has been a hub for car cruisers in Blackwood. The drivers come from London and Manchester for the events. The car cruising problem for the town has been going on for more than 20 years.

The Police had a crackdown and have already imposed orders for dispersals on the high street. David Evans, general manager with Asda, said that car cruisers will be monitored by the parking attendants and the culprits will be issued with ban orders. The number plates of these cars will then be input in the ANPR system which costs £20,000. This system will detect the car cruisers automatically when they move in and out of the store.

The fine that is to be charged on car cruisers is still to be finalised. However, Asda has planned to charge £60 for the first breach of ban orders. For each visit the amount will be doubled and so for the third breach one will be obliged to pay as much as £240.

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Renfrewshire motorists have been sent warnings regarding the purchase of vehicle registration plates in the locality. Lately, every motorist has been asked to remain vigilant while purchasing these plates.

It has been discovered that quite a few drivers have had to pay fines of almost £1,000, mainly because the number plates that their vehicles sported did not stand up to the regulations of the DVLA. This discovery was made by one of the leading car insurance retailers in the UK.

The recently introduced automatic number plate recognition equipment did not manage to identify almost 12 per cent of the number plates on various vehicles. This failure was caused due to a defect in the number plates themselves, as they did not comply with the rules of the DVLA.

The DVLA regulations for number plates specify in detail the various features that a registered number plate should have. In case number plates do not adhere to these specifications, identifying the owners of these number plates is not a difficult job.

According to car insurance retailers, not many people in the UK are aware of the strict guidelines set by the DVLA, concerning vehicle number plates. Therefore, it is important for every citizen to look into these guidelines.

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The AA, the motoring organisation, has called for financial incentives to be provided for those who scrap their older cars voluntarily and swap them for newer ones. Calling upon the Government, the AA has written to the Treasury for introduction of a cash incentive plan which will encourage motorists to replace their old cars with new ones.

The AA asserted that this would eventually help to reduce the emissions from old vehicles and at the same time will boost new car sales.

The organisation also claimed that the present Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) system provides an incentive to some motorists for holding on to their pre-2001 cars, especially it they want a bigger and more powerful car. For the pre-2001 cars, there are two flat rates - one that is below 1,549cc and the other that is above this. Also these vehicles tend to be bigger polluters and less safe and roadworthy.

In order to overcome the problems of this plan in which older cars that are not in use for several years are to be cashed in, this scheme should depend on DVLA data to illustrate that the car is pre-1996 and has been on the road for a minimum of 12 months.

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A Bakewell builder may face jail as he is suspected of using false number plates on his vehicle before committing drive-off offences. Chesterfield magistrates also warned that John Sheldon, 39, will be at risk of losing his Land Rover Discovery which was used for fuel thefts worth £565.

Helen Griffiths, prosecuting, said that Sheldon had stole diesel from about seven garages by switching the vehicle’s number plates and many times driving without one. All these offences were captured on security film at garages in Two Dales, Matlock, Wirksworth, Bakewell, Clay Cross and Chesterfield.

He was stopped driving a Discovery and later arrested on 28th November. He also admitted that he had stolen diesel from three garages but has not commented about the other four garages. The court had heard that he was convicted in October last year. At that time he was ordered to perform community work for 240 hours.

Sheldon, of Yeld Close, Bakewell, has pleaded guilty to three charges of going off without making payment from October 26 to November 24. Magistrate, Grant Stothart, after adjourning to get probation service reports, had warned that he could be locked up after the next hearing.

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The AA has applauded the well planned measures that target every motorist who drives without car insurance. The head of public affairs at the association, Paul Watters stated that they were extremely pleased with the measures as it would help in cracking down on the offenders.

The main mission of the AA was to target motorists who are persistent offenders and commit the crime despite several warnings. The AA has therefore issued several new warnings to such flouters of the law.

Paul Watters has however added that the AA holds some concerns about the database-type and the bureaucratic issues that could be an end result of the planned collaboration between the DVLA and the Department for Transport.

Paul has also stated that there are several people who do not receive their warning letters, pretend to be on a holiday or are indeed out of town. To avoid insuring the car many people use the £100 fine as a cheap alternative. These are some of the regular excuses that lead to motorist crime and Paul Watters wishes to act against them with complete measures.

Therefore, after the issuance of a warning letter, a fine will be further imposed on every offender who breaks the law and does not take the letter into consideration.

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