Disc dodgers caught out

But despite the offences Blackburn Police believe the message is getting across to most motorists revealing tax disc offences have dropped by more than 20 per cent since 2005.

The figures were released following two days of police swoops across Blackburn last week when 23 motorists were caught with either no tax disc at all or invalid and out of date discs.

Of the offenders:

l Six had no tax discs at all.

l 15 had discs out of date l Two were displaying discs issued to other vehicles.

Blackburn police community safety officer (PCSO), Nigel Brooke said the majority of the offences came to light thanks to vigilant members of the public who reported the culprits on the DVLA's confidential hotline.

He said: "The cars were from across Blackburn, including the town centre. In the majority of cases we were following information reported on the DVLA hotline.

"In Blackburn the message seems to be getting across as I would say the number of motorists guilty of such offences has dropped by 20 per cent in the last two years.

"It's partly down to the fact we now clear away and deal with abandoned cars separately, but I think motorists generally realise they will not get away without having a valid tax disc whether they are punished directly by the DVLA checking their computer records or via information received on this phone line."

All the cars found without acceptable tax discs were clamped with the owners having to pay an £80 release fee as well as a £120 surety payment - refunded on production of a valid disc.

Blackburn Police carry out the enforcement on average twice a year.

And PCSO Brooke, who has helped coordinate the scheme in Blackburn for four years, said it was a myth that the offenders were poor and owners of bangers.

He said: "The offenders were not just owners of poor quality vehicles, one of the cars, for example, we found untaxed was a Rolls Royce."

The DVLA's hotline number is 08000 325202.