4,000 uninsured cars taken off region’s roads (From The Northern Echo)

4,000 uninsured cars taken off region’s roads

8:46am Thursday 3rd January 2008 in

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NEARLY 4,000 uninsured cars have been removed from the region's roads through an awardwinning initiative.

Durham Police say Operation Takeaway - launched three years ago this month - has proved a major success in the fight to keep the roads free of illegal vehicles.

The scheme uses the latest technology to identify uninsured vehicles.

Unless the driver can prove they have cover, cars are then confiscated and taken to an approved compound.

The owner will only get their vehicle back if they pay £105, plus £12 for every day the vehicle has been kept.

Vehicles not reclaimed within seven working days are crushed.

About 40 per cent of confiscated vehicles suffer this fate.

Malcolm Shilton, vehicle recovery manager for Durham Police, said: "Uninsured vehicles are far more likely to be involved in a serious accident.

"They are also commonly used by low-level criminals.

"Crushing these vehicles means they don't go back on the roads.

"In the bad old days, police officers dealing with this offence would tell the motorist they could not move the vehicle from the spot.

"As soon as the officer left, they would drive away."

Automatic number plate recognition technology is used to identify uninsured cars, as well as national vehicle databases.

Vehicles routinely stopped are also checked.

The force receives funding from insurance company Direct Line, which is put towards the cost of recovering vehicles which are not reclaimed.

Acting Sergeant Dickie Day has been with the force's road policing unit for seven years.