Road tax

14th October 2007

Untaxed cars could be removed from owners’ driveways and crushed under proposed new rules.

Sweeping powers for the DVLA, which would let its staff enter private land, could affect the two million-plus vehicles sporting out-of-date discs.

At present, the Government can only intervene if a car is parked on a public road. Commercial contractor NCP Services, which already has an agreement with the licensing authority to tow and destroy illegal motors, is proposing the changes. It’s currently in discussion with the DVLA and Department for Transport. If successful, the new rules will allow its employees on to your property to clamp, remove or scrap your motor.

An NCP Services spokesman said: “We want access to private property to remove cars being driven without tax. At present, we know where they are but can’t get to them.”

A DVLA spokeswoman said that law-abiding motorists had nothing to fear: “If you’ve purchased your road fund licence or correctly applied for the Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), there won’t be a problem."

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