The
DVLA wheelclamping schemeIf
you keep or use an untaxed vehicle on a public road, your vehicle could be clamped
by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agencys (DVLA) wheelclamping contractor.
The fees to release the vehicle are high. Unclaimed vehicles will be towed away
and impounded and could be crushed after eight days. The
wheelclamping of untaxed or improperly taxed vehicles is operated by Vinci Park
Services UK Limited in partnership with the DVLA. In addition, a number of local
authorities and police forces, including all London boroughs, operate wheelclamping
schemes using powers devolved to them by DVLA. Release
payments are highFor
clamped vehicles the release penalties are £80. In addition a valid vehicle tax
disc must be produced before the vehicle can be recovered. If a tax disc cannot
be produced, a surety (£120 for a car or motorcycle, up to £600 for other vehicles)
must be paid before the vehicle can be released. The surety payment is forfeited
if a valid vehicle tax disc is not produced within two weeks. Failure to purchase
a valid vehicle tax disc could mean that the vehicle is clamped again and again. | Towed
away and impoundedVehicles
will be towed away and impounded if not claimed within 24 hours. For vehicles
impounded the release fee increases to £160 and a storage charge of £15 per day
is levied. A valid vehicle tax disc or surety payment is still required. Disposed
ofUnclaimed
vehicles of no economic value are disposed of by crushing after eight days. Vehicles
of economic value will be disposed after 14 days. Any vehicle of significant value
will be resold at auction. In addition, owners of untaxed vehicles face the prospect
of prosecution with fines of up to £1,000 plus the back tax owed and costs. DVLA
will write to the registered keepers of unlicensed vehicles held in the pound,
notifying them that their vehicle will be disposed of unless all fees are paid.
Unregistered vehicle keepers will not receive this notification. It is also an
offence not to inform DVLA when a vehicle has changed hands. The vehicle registration
certificate makes the legal requirements clear to keepers and explains the consequences.
Those caught in this way face a further penalty of up to £1,000. Success
of the schemeBetween
August 1997 and November 2004, the scheme has encouraged over 909,000 motorists
to voluntarily retax their vehicles, bringing in £116m in additional revenue.
Over 259,000 vehicles have been wheelclamped and about half of these have been
crushed. This action has had a direct impact on road safety, as the vehicles that
have been disposed of were unroadworthy.
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