Roads Policing Officers have used their new power to removed six untaxed cars in three months from the Locks Heath/Fareham area in a new clampdown.

Four of the six car owners went on to pay the £100 fine to release and tax their cars and only one car has been scrapped so far – the other is awaiting payment.

In November 2009 the Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency (DVLA) granted Hampshire Constabulary the power to remove cars found on a public highway not displaying a valid tax disc. This makes Hampshire Constabulary one of eight in the country now able to do this. Previously the police only had the power to seize a vehicle if it was used on a road with no licence or insurance, or if it was being used in an anti-social way.

Chief Inspector Stephen Jefford, head of Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing unit said it is about making our roads safer:

"In the first three months since we acquired these powers, we seized 146 vehicles… It's these vehicles which DVLA research shows are more likely to be involved in other criminal activity, are more likely to be unlicensed and are therefore more likely to pose a greater risk to other road users. Taking them off our roads can help make them safer for everyone."

The majority of people who have had their cars seized go on to get them properly taxed, however some end up as scrap because no one comes forward to claim them.

In Hampshire Constabulary the powers are only currently available to Roads Policing Officers and certain other Operations officers, although his may be expanded in the future.

So how does this work? If police spot a vehicle without a valid tax disc, they firstly contact the DVLA to confirm this. If the tax is in date, the officer can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for failing to display a valid tax disc. If it is out of date, the police then contact an approved recovery operator who seize the vehicle and take it back to a secure police pound. The DVLA then attempts to contact the owner, giving them 14 days to respond or the car will be crushed or sold.

The owner will have to pay at least £100 for the vehicle to be released from the pound and produce a current tax disc to reclaim their car. If they cannot produce a tax disc, they will have to pay a refundable surety to have the car released.

Note that the vehicle in the picture was not necessarily untaxed.

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You may know that you can anonymously report a vehicle to the DVLA if it is untaxed. Click the link to see how. Has anyone ever done this? I have! - Just the once.

You can now tax your car online on the DVLA website.

If your vehicle has been seized, you can contact the DVLA or Hampshire Constabulary.