Tax dodgers face roadside clamp

Riders in the north of England could be in for a nasty shock if their bike has no road tax. Lancashire police is piloting a scheme to clamp any untaxed bikes on the spot.

From July 29 anyone caught by the force will find their bike clamped at the roadside and face a charge of £200 to release it.

Riders will be able to recover £120 of that if they then tax the bike within 14 days, but anyone who fails to pay the £200 with 24 hours will have their bike impounded. The fine then increases to £280, and for every day the bike is held there’s a £15 storage charge. If the motorcycle is not claimed within 14 days it will be crushed.

The DVLA’s John Moore told MCN: ” Over the next few months the Police and the DVLA will be on the lookout for motorcyclists who continually flout the law by not purchasing a valid tax disc.

” We are not targeting legitimate riders with this type of operation but are concerned that around a third of evaders are also committing other road safety offences.

” Since the introduction of wheel clamping in 1997, the DVLA has wheel clamped almost 92,000 vehicles of which less than 100 were motorcycles. These figures demonstrate that we are certainly not out to persecute or single out motorcyclists but are determined to tackle motorcycle evasion. ”