A GOVERNMENT inquiry into untraceable number plates has been welcomed in the region.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster and MP Sarah Coombes have welcomed the launch of a new Parliamentary Vehicle Registration Plate Inquiry as a major milestone in their long-running campaign to crack down on illegal ‘ghost plates’.
The inquiry, led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Transport Safety, is said to examine the growing problem of untraceable number plates, which allow dangerous drivers and criminals to evade detection, enforcement and accountability on the UK’s roads.
The move follows the success of Operation Phantom – a pioneering initiative led by the PCC and West Midlands Police’s Roads Policing Unit with Redspeed International – which used cutting-edge technology to expose thousands of illegal number plates operating across Birmingham.
The initial findings provide an early understanding of the scale of the issue, with so-called ‘ghost plates’ often used by offenders to avoid fines, but can also be used to commit more serious crimes.
Mr Foster said: “This is a very significant and welcome step forward, in the fight against illegal 3D and 4D number plates – known as ghost plates. I’ve been campaigning for national action on this issue for some time, and I’m pleased to see that our work here in the West Midlands is now gathering serious momentum.
“This inquiry is about exposing offenders, bringing them to justice and keeping people safe on our roads. It’s vital that we now build on this progress and deliver the changes needed to tighten up the law and keep the people and communities of our region safe and secure.”
