Car tax evasion triples after paper tax disc scrapped

Since the paper tax disc was abolished the number of unlicensed vehicles on the road has tripled.

The data, published every two years, shows that the government potentially lost out on £107m from 755,000 unlicensed vehicles last year.

The RAC said the decision to get rid of the paper tax disc three years ago has proved "costly" when it should have saved the Treasury £10m a year.

"It appears that having a visual reminder was an effective way to prompt drivers into renewing their car tax - arguably more drivers are now prepared to try their luck and see if they can get away with not paying any vehicle tax at all, or are simply forgetting to tax their vehicle when they are due to."

When the abolition of the paper tax disc was announced by then-Chancellor, George Osborne, the Treasury said it showed government was moving "into the modern age".

The RAC said a third of untaxed vehicles had changed hands since September 2016, indicating that many drivers were not aware that tax does not carry over when ownership changes.

The seller receives a refund of any full months of remaining tax while the new owner must tax the vehicle immediately.

Will new 20mph limits on London red routes leave people looking at the speedo instead of the road?

Motorists face £100 fines as 20mph limits are imposed on some of Britain’s busiest roads.

Until now, the lower 20mph speed limit has been restricted to smaller roads in residential areas or near schools. However this is about to change with 20mph limits to be introduced on major arterial roads (policed by the latest digital speed cameras).

London Mayor Boris Johnson has revealed that eight pilot schemes will be run on ‘Red Routes’ – the main arterial roads that carry a third of the capital’s traffic. 

Other towns and cities including Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh say they also intend to introduce the new limits.

The minimum fine fore motorists caught breaking the 20mph limit will be £100 fine and three points on their driving licence.

The AA says the new limits are being driven more by ‘dogma’ than road safety. A spokesman said: ‘These 20mph zones are popping up like spring daffodils.

‘There is a lot of fear among drivers that, with 20mph being a relatively unfamiliar speed, widespread speed camera use will make them look more at their speedometers than at what is happening on populated streets in front of them.’

If the trials in London ( due to last 18-months)  are judged a success, the 20mph limits will be made permanent and imposed on 30 miles of key ‘Red Routes’ considered by transport bosses to be ‘more local road than motorway’. Some 175 miles of residential streets.

Under the new London scheme, the first road to convert to 20mph next month will be Commercial Street in Shoreditch, linking into plans for Tower Hamlets and Hackney to become 20mph boroughs.

Rod King, founder of the ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ campaign group, said: ‘The current 30mph national limit is being rejected as “unfit for purpose” for communities so we’re setting out a series of government actions required for a planned transition to a UK default urban limit of 20mph by 2020.’

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Research shows 20mph zones can save lives and this government has made it easier for councils to introduce them.

‘It is for local authorities to set speed limits and for the police to decide how best to enforce them.’

The spokesman added: ‘We are undertaking a three-year research project to better understand the effect of 20mph zones and their impact on local communities.’

Watch out on the roads this summer

So its the first official day of summer today there’s nothing like cruising along with the sun glinting off your shades.Unfortunately even warm, dry roads are full of  hazards.

Image Daily Mail

More Bicycles - leave 'at least a meter' between you and the bike when passing .

More Horses  -  pass slow and wide, with no loud noises.


More Motorcycles -  Double check at junctions, as these are blackspots


Rain after a dry spell - It takes a few days for the dust, oil and diesel to wash away. After three dry weeks, the risk of a fatal crash is almost 10% higher than if it rains all along.


More teenagers about - Holidays mean more teenagers on the roads. Men aged 17-20 are seven times more at risk than any other group. Under 25s are also more likely to fail a breath test, a 2012 police campaign found.


More kids in the street - Good weather means children playing outside.


Distracted holidaymakers -  People who are unfamiliar with the roads that they are driving with their eyes being distracted from the road by GPS, phone calls, food, drinks, children etc



More Tractors - Tractors don't need brake lights or indicators, and they're loud. The driver may not know you're even there – and you may not see the field it's about to turn into. Take great care overtaking.


Deer in the road - Deer spread from breeding grounds in late spring to early summer, and are most active around sunrise and in the darkness before midnight. 


Breakdowns - Hot weather increases your chances of a breakdown as older cars go on long hot trips. Look for leaking hoses, low water levels and broken fans before leaving, and watch for breakdowns blocking the road.

Losing White Lines From Roads 'Cuts Speeding'

Recent research across the capital shows that removing white lines from the centre of urban roads dramatically cuts the number of speeding cars.The study carried out by Transport for London, (which controls major roads in the capital) across three routes showed vehicle speeds fell by up to 13 per cent. The roads chosen were ones that had just been re-surfaced. The most dramatic results were recorded on Seven Sisters Road, in north London, which has a 30mph limit. The speed of southbound traffic fell by 4.1mph from an average of 32.4mph to 28.3mph - almost 13 per cent - while northbound traffic speeds fell from 31.4mph to 29mph. The report concluded: ‘Centre lines and hatching can provide a psychological sense of confidence to drivers that no vehicles will encroach on ‘their’ side of the road.

TfL says the practice could be expanded to more routes - subject to ‘careful analysis of the site to determine if it is appropriate’. Roads where markings are used to highlight particular hazards, such as approaches to complex junctions, would not be considered.

Road Safety Campaigners back the plans to remove white lines. Amy Aeron-Thomas, executive director of crash reduction charity RoadPeace, said: ‘RoadPeace welcomes the news that white line removal has led to significant speed decreases on 30 mph roads. At a time when government is promoting cycling and walking but cutting enforcement budgets, self enforcing measures are key.TfL is to be credited with trialling this measure. We look forward to its wider use, including with 20mph roads.’

What do you think? Is the removal of white lines a good idea? add comments below