UK road tax dodging hotspots revealed

The UK’s road tax dodging hotspots have been revealed, with London taking first place.

A list released by DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) showed 27,605 vehicles were clamped and 94,550 fines or penalties were issued in the capital last year – a total of 122,155 enforcements – because their owners had failed to pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

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Northern Ireland was the second region in the rankings, with 5,516 clampings and 67,944 fines or penalties (73,460 in total). Meanwhile, third place went to Birmingham, which saw 5,076 clampings and 50,045 fines or penalties (55,121 in total) issued for lack of VED in 2018.

Manchester was next on the list – with a total of 33,787 enforcements – while Glasgow and Sheffield have 32,371 and 29,278 respectively.

The data was released as part of a DVLA advertising campaign to warn drivers of the consequences of not paying VED.

Motorists who don’t pay their road tax risk facing financial penalties, which can lead to court action and even their car being seized.

Tim Burton, head of enforcement at the DVLA, said: “This campaign has a clear message for anyone who flouts the law in this way – tax it or lose it.

“It’s never been easier to tax your car, so there really is no excuse. We would rather not have to clamp or remove vehicles, but this campaign highlights the consequences of not taxing a vehicle. Having your vehicle clamped is expensive and inconvenient – and you could end up losing your car.”

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