Motor tax evaders face clamping

Owners of clamped vehicles have to pay £260 to release their cars

Motor tax evasion is three and a half times higher in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the UK.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the police has launched a 'Operation Evader', focusing on vehicles untaxed for more than 28 days.

More than 300 unlicensed vehicles were clamped in a two-week pilot period in Belfast in September.

New legislation introduced in October means that cars can be clamped or removed in any public place.

DVA chief executive Brendan Magee said the authorities were determined to tackle the problem.

"The pilot operation also showed that over half of the vehicles detected with no tax also had no insurance and four out of 10 vehicles of testable age had no current test certificate," he said.

"It's only fair that we do all that we can to catch the small minority who are determined to act irresponsibly."

Owners of clamped vehicles have to pay £260 before they are released or £100 along with production of a valid tax disc.

Recovered vehicles which are not claimed within seven days may be crushed.