Tax 'Hit Squads' To Take The High Road

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

24 October 2001

In a coordinated effort to crack down on Scottish road tax evasion, which costs the country around £14 million per year, police authorities have announced that they will be employing mobile 'hit squads' to spot untaxed cars throughout Scotland.

Wheelclamping of untaxed vehicles has been common practice in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Inverness since last year, but the scheme is now being extended across more of the country, starting with Dumfries and Galloway, and parts of central Scotland. These areas are reportedly home to around 82,000 unlicensed cars, which could bring in an additional £10 million.

The DVLA is taking the new measures very seriously, and has warned motorists in Scotland and across the UK that once clamped, the driver will have 24 hours to claim their car before it is impounded. If the car remains unclaimed after five weeks, it will be destroyed or auctioned.

The Scottish police have also welcomed the new tough approach, as in addition to the extra revenue which will be collected as a result of the new initiative, an untaxed car can sometimes be an indication that other criminal offenses are being committed.

Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, the Assistant Chief Constable of the Strathclyde force explained: 'In many cases, the fact that a vehicle is untaxed indicates that it may be unroadworthy and has no insurance or MOT. Often it indicates that the vehicle is not registered to an owner with the DVLA, making it difficult to trace the driver following a road accident or involvement in criminal activity.'

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