Uninsured drivers 'on increase'

Lib Dems said uninsured drivers should expect to lose their licence

The number of uninsured drivers caught on London's roads has risen by 40% in three years, figures show.

In 2001, 19,052 people were caught driving without insurance. Two years later, this figure rose to 26,797. The rise is double the national average.

Lib Dems said the figures, from Parliamentary answers, could mean more motorists were flouting the law or police were better at catching them.

The party called for higher fines and loss of licences for uninsured drivers.

London Assembly Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, Geoff Pope, said the figures were a "double-edged sword".

Cars crushed

"It could be that the police are doing more to catch these reckless criminals who put the lives of others at risk. Equally it could be that there are more people willing to flout the law and hope they can get away without paying for their insurance," he said.

"Fines are far too low and in many cases much less than the insurance premium and there ought to be an expectation of losing your licence."

A Met Police spokesman said new powers introduced in July now mean vehicles of uninsured drivers can be taken from them and crushed unless proof of insurance is provided within seven days.

No details were available from the police of particular crackdowns from 2001-3.

The number of uninsured drivers caught across England and Wales also increased over the same period by 20%.