Last updated 11:57, Wednesday, 11 June 2008

CAR tax dodgers have been targeted as part of a clampdown on vehicles which should not be on the road.

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WATCH OUT: The clamper gets ready to swoop again REF: 0432044

They patrolled the streets of Barrow, Dalton and Millom looking to clamp any untaxed vehicles they could find.

PC Mitchell said: “What happens is an automatic numberplate recognition system scans the plates and puts them through a computer.

“The other way of doing it is visually – looking at tax discs to see if the tax disc is out of date.

“Then we’d run it through the computer to check it’s definitely out of date. As long as it is, we can clamp the vehicle.”

Once clamped, motorists will have to produce an up-to-date tax disc and then pay an additional £80 to have the vehicle released.

If motorists can’t produce a tax disc a £120 surety has to be paid, which is forfeited if a valid tax disc isn’t produced within two weeks.

The cost goes up to £160 after 24 hours.

Vehicles not claimed after two weeks could be crushed.

PC Mitchell said: “A lot of vehicles that aren’t taxed probably don’t have insurance or MOT, so this is doing the general public and other tax payers a favour by removing problem cars and clearing up the streets.

“It’s a very powerful tool and can be used in a positive way.

“Nobody likes having to pay their tax, but we’ve got to, and nobody likes people getting away with it.”

Of the 27 vehicles clamped, 26 were in Barrow and one in Millom.

Fifteen motorists paid the fine to have the wheel clamp removed.

The remaining 12 were towed away and impounded, where PC Mitchell estimates “a good percentage will be crushed”.

A car tax evader clamped during the last crackdown in January found themselves paying the release fee for a second time.

PC Mitchell said: “This person paid the £200 fine to get their car released last time but still failed to tax it, so this time we clamped the car again.

“So now they’ve lost £400 altogether.”

Motorists are being reminded to check their vehicles are taxed, because PC Mitchell has warned: “We will be back.”