An operation to target untaxed and undocumented vehicles and drivers across the Isle of Wight last Thursday (12th December) has been hailed a success by Police.
The operation involved police officers from the Isle of Wight’s Joint Armed Response and Roads Policing team, mainland Roads Policing officers and Isle of Wight neighbourhood officers, working in partnership with the DVLA.
Throughout the operation, Police were also carrying out routine breath tests and drug wipe tests as part of the ongoing Operation Holly Christmas drink and drug drive campaign.
Following a day of enforcement:
- 13 vehicles were seized at the roadside by DVLA, all of which went through a roadside process to immediately tax them before being allowed to drive off
- 6 penalty notices were issued by DVLA staff for offences
- 1 driver detained for drink driving, charged and bailed to Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court
- 4 drivers arrested on suspicion of being over a specified drug limit and have been released under investigation pending blood analysis
- A number of vehicles were also seized for uninsured/unlicensed use along with penalty notices for road traffic offences
Sergeant Simon Morgan from the Isle of Wight’s Roads Policing Team, and Acting Sergeant Jason Taylor from Ryde Neighbourhoods Policing Team, said:
“Despite the awful weather we are pleased that this joint operation was successful and would like to thank our colleagues from the DVLA. There is a clear link between unlicensed, untaxed, and uninsured vehicles, and other forms of criminal activity or road safety.
“We have completed a number of campaigns working in partnership with the DVLA on the Isle of Wight in recent years. It’s clear that the number of vehicles we identify, which do not have the correct credentials or paperwork, is decreasing each time. That shows the positive outcome of operations like this.
“We will continue to work with DVLA and other partner agencies in the next year to continue to improve road safety and to target vehicles and people that should not be on the Island’s roads.
Article continues below this advertisement “Despite a few people arrested for drink and drug driving, the vast majority of drivers stopped provided negative tests which is pleasing. Officers across the Isle of Wight will continue to carry roadside breath and drug tests throughout December as part of the Operation Holly Christmas drink and drug drive campaign.”
The DVLA are an absolute absolute joke.
If they are serious about tax then why refuse a Freedom of Information request to release the statistics for how many reported untaxed cars on Isle of Wight have enforcement served beyond a scrappy letter supposedly sent to whatever might be registered as the vehicles keeper??
Easy answer isn’t it – because they do no such routine enforcement.
I know of two people who drive daily with total impunity. No Tax, No Insurance, No MOTs and one has been like it for almost four years!!!! Both ticketed multiple times for illegal parking and one even chatted to recently by local PCSOs while loading up her totally illegal vehicle whilst parked straddling the pavement/road – even though the police were supposedly ‘actively looking for her’. Still not caught then, yet issued with parking tickets almost daily.
Report such things online to DVLA – nothing happens. Report it online to Hampshire Police – nil response. Crimestoppers won’t even take a report at all.
Ring 101 – well by the time you get through the car has moved (that’ll be those worn round spinny tyre things on each corner then) and the 101 advisors advice, ring 999. Er, no, not just for nil tax/MOT violation, there are more important things for 999. Dare to question the insurance of such a driver and you’ll be interrogated as to how you might know when you shouldn’t (well it’s a pretty safe bet isn’t it Sherlock???). Don’t worry about the uninsured driver though
In this country a vehicle has to be registered to an owner; it has to have an MOT after 3yrs; it has to be insured; it has to be taxed or SORNed.
Less rhetoric and a bit more action on cars that are visibly illegal – WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE VEHICLES AWAY when you know where they are??? The drivers are hardly going to be a calling are they?
The best excuse so far is that the police need to wait to actually see the car driven. Well what’s the point of allowing a car to remain on the highway illegally just on the off chance of prosecuting some criminal who really couldn’t give a stuff anyway??
So well done for a little token festive 5-mins of action folks but these people drive every day of the year and as soon as one runs someone over it’ll all be a big drama won’t it.
All avoidable with a little proactive routine enforcement.
The DVLA are an absolute absolute joke.
If they are serious about tax then why refuse a Freedom of Information request to release the statistics for how many reported untaxed cars on Isle of Wight have enforcement served beyond a scrappy letter supposedly sent to whatever might be registered as the vehicles keeper??
Easy answer isn’t it – because they do no such routine enforcement.
I know of two people who drive daily with total impunity. No Tax, No Insurance, No MOTs and one has been like it for almost four years!!!! Both ticketed multiple times for illegal parking and one even chatted to recently by local PCSOs while loading up her totally illegal vehicle whilst parked straddling the pavement/road – even though the police were supposedly ‘actively looking for her’. Still not caught then, yet issued with parking tickets almost daily.
Report such things online to DVLA – nothing happens. Report it online to Hampshire Police – nil response. Crimestoppers won’t even take a report at all.
Ring 101 – well by the time you get through the car has moved (that’ll be those worn round spinny tyre things on each corner then) and the 101 advisors advice, ring 999. Er, no, not just for nil tax/MOT violation, there are more important things for 999. Dare to question the insurance of such a driver and you’ll be interrogated as to how you might know when you shouldn’t (well it’s a pretty safe bet isn’t it Sherlock???). Don’t worry about the uninsured driver though
In this country a vehicle has to be registered to an owner; it has to have an MOT after 3yrs; it has to be insured; it has to be taxed or SORNed.
Less rhetoric and a bit more action on cars that are visibly illegal – WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE VEHICLES AWAY when you know where they are??? The drivers are hardly going to be a calling are they?
The best excuse so far is that the police need to wait to actually see the car driven. Well what’s the point of allowing a car to remain on the highway illegally just on the off chance of prosecuting some criminal who really couldn’t give a stuff anyway??
So well done for a little token festive 5-mins of action folks but these people drive every day of the year and as soon as one runs someone over it’ll all be a big drama won’t it.
All avoidable with a little proactive routine enforcement.
Wait for the increase in your council tax for Hampshire Police who, until now, have failed to take dangerous drivers off the road. I was involved in an accident earlier this year where I and the driver suffered injury and the car was written off. There was dash cam evidence of both the front and rear which clearly showed the driver, who rammed in to the back of us, at fault. There was a police entry stating the driver was not paying attention to the road. Five weeks later the police log was altered, this was on the same day the driver was interviewed.
The driver was sent on a one day no fail driving course. Hampshire Police have sanctioned over 2,500 such courses over the past five years.
My County Councillor has seen the dash cam footage and aware of how the police have conducted themselves in my case. Letters addressed personally to Michael Lane PCC, who is supposed to hold the police to account, have never been answered by him all have been ignored.
I believe it is now time to take back control of our own police force from Hampshire. The island is not like the mainland and needs officers who know the roads. As it is we have officers from Winchester making decisions with no knowledge of the accidents they are passing judgement on.
If you feel that you have not had your complaint taken seriously or that you feel an injustice has been done – get some real media attention – or at least give the PCC the chance before going public properly.
How to get away with any driving offence over christmas
Dont drive on Fairlee Road
Im legal but Im sure the ones that are not know this trick too.