HC Deb 01 April 2004 vol 419 c1573W
Mr. Greg Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motor vehicles equipped with cameras are used by or on behalf of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency for the purpose of recording untaxed car use; what the total cost has been of such vehicles and equipment; and upon what basis decisions are made concerning their deployment. [165190]

Dr. Howells

DVLA has 15 automatic number plate reader (ANPR) vans—12 in the UK and three in Northern Ireland. These units have been in operation since October 2001. They are equipped with cameras used to detect unlicensed vehicles on the public road. The annual running cost is approximately £1.2 million.

These vehicles are deployed throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. They work closely with the police on joint operations to target areas of high VED evasion and are also involved in DVLA publicity campaigns. DVLA has a program of campaigns which cover all areas of the UK over an 18 month period.

In addition to DVLA's own vehicles police automatic number plate reader cameras are used to identify unlicensed vehicles. This initiative, named Project Laser, was launched in June 2003 and currently involves 23 police forces in the UK.

Mr. Greg Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, by county, the areas in which motor vehicles equipped with cameras used by or on behalf of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency for recording untaxed car use have been deployed during the last 12 months. [165192]

Dr. Howells

DVLA's Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) vehicles are deployed throughout the UK and Northern Ireland to target areas of high vehicle excise duty evasion. They work closely with the police on joint operations and are also involved in DVLA publicity campaigns. DVLA has a programme to cover all areas of the UK.

In addition to the DVLA's own vehicles police automatic number plate reader cameras are used to identify unlicensed vehicles. This initiative, named Project Laser, was launched in June 2003 and involves 23 police forces in the UK. This operation also covers large areas of the UK.