Cherished Number Plates News

Foreign drivers owe £4.5 million

06 November 2008

Foreign drivers owe a London council more than £4.5m in parking fines, it has emerged, with owners of luxury "super cars" the worst culprits.

Westminster Council said parking fines on more than 80% of foreign-owned cars and motorbikes were unpaid, as it cannot trace their owners overseas. They include a Rolls Royce Phantom owner who owes an astonishing £3,000 in fines.

The council wants the legal right to access overseas driver and vehicle registration data.

Currently, Foreign drivers who bring vehicles to the UK are required to register them with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) after they have been in the country for six months and in use on public roads.

Mr Danny Chalkley, from the authority, said: "A tiny minority feel as though the rules of this country do not apply to them.

"We would like to see a more rigorous system put in place to send a clear message that this blatant disregard of the law will not be tolerated."

He added: "Each of those vehicles owes us thousands of pounds. They owe that money to the Westminster Council tax payer."

A spokeswoman from the department of Transport said that changes are being made in a bid to correct the problem.

"The Local Transport bill, which is currently going through parliament, will allow the DVLA to obtain foreign drivers' details and pass them on to local authorities," the spokeswoman said.