Police take tough action against drivers with illegal number plates which can be used to hide the true identity of the vehicle and its driver.
Those who use them to evade parking and traffic fines and penalties often take greater risks with their driving because they don’t think they can be traced — putting other road users in danger.
They are also used to hide more sinister crimes, such as drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, hit-and-runs and other serious offences.
What are ghost plates?
One of the main methods to avoid detection is to use so-called ghost plates.
To the naked eye, they look like normal number plates, but the registration does not show up clearly on police and traffic cameras, making prosecution extremely difficult.
This makes them popular with people who have something to hide because they can drive on the roads as normal, with an apparently legitimate number plate. But, whether they are trying to avoid being traced after speeding or bus lane violations, or are covering up something more sinister, the number plates are virtually impossible to read by ANPR cameras which not only detect offences, but can track a vehicle’s journey.
The BBC found that last year, more than 4,000 ghost plates were discovered over a two-week period in Birmingham, which triggered a parliamentary inquiry into the problem.
And UK Road Offender Education found there were more than 21,000 offences detected last year.
How ghost plates work
The idea behind ghost plates is to make the numbers disappear on camera, while remaining visible to the naked eye. They are also described as “stealth” or “invisible” plates.
This effect is achieved by using reflective coatings that create a blank or severely distorted image which cannot be read by speed and ANPR cameras.
In the UK, vehicle number plates must adhere to strict regulations set by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
As well as the use of non-standard characters, incorrect fonts, spacing, or sizing, ghost plates are considered an illegal number plate modification.
But authorities are fighting back and with work pioneered in Rochdale, infrared technology is being used to detect ghost plates — as well as number plates altered with 3D, 4D, or gel lettering.
Fines and legal consequences for professional drivers
Drivers caught with illegal number plates — whether they are ghost plates or have been altered in any other way — can be fined up to £1,000.
One professional driver recently paid a steep price for having ghost plates on his taxi. His licence was revoked by Wolverhampton City Council after he lost his appeal over the use of ghost plates to avoid speed cameras.
The BBC reports that the driver told the court he had bought the Audi A4 with the plates already fitted and was unaware they were illegal.
The driver had his licence revoked with immediate effect for dishonesty and was ordered to pay £1,923 in legal costs.
After the hearing, Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for residents’ services, told the BBC: “The council will always take robust action when drivers fail to meet the high standards expected of them.”
The danger posed by people trying to hide behind ghost plates has prompted the Government to consider increasing penalties from £100 fixed penalties to £1,000 and six points on the driver’s licence.
The technology and trials being piloted in Rochdale could make ghost plates obsolete but there still needs to be a strong deterrent against people masking the identity of their vehicle — and themselves.
The risk of fines and penalty points from traffic cameras will hopefully improve their driving and make the roads safer.
For motor traders, it is vital that they are selling vehicles which are road legal and modifications such as ghost plates must be identified and rectified to avoid problems down the line.
