Every parliamentary written question tabled by John Grady this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–2 of 2 · Department for Transport
How many instances of cars being illegally unclamped have been reported to the Police by the DVLA since 1st March 2025.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold a record of instances reported to the police. However, since 1 March 2025, just under 28,000 immobilisation devices were unlawfully removed from a vehicle before the wheelclamping company returned to impound it and the vehicle was no longer present.
What steps the DVLA is taking with local councils and police to remove abandoned vehicles (a) without road tax and (b) that are SORN registered from public roads.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) operates a comprehensive package of measures to tackle unlicensed vehicles. These range from automatic number plate recognition cameras, wheelclamping and the removal and impounding of unlicensed vehicles. The DVLA works closely with the police and local authorities to address such vehicles at local levels and to share intelligence. As well as any enforcement action that may be taken by the DVLA, the law also allows local authorities and police forces to work in partnership with the DVLA to tackle unlicensed vehicles by giving them the power to immobilise or impound unlicensed vehicles identified in their areas. These are known as devolved power partners. The DVLA’s database highlights every unlicensed vehicle that is not subject to a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) and automatically recognises when a keeper becomes non-compliant so that enforcement action can take place. The DVLA’s wheelclamping contractor also provides ANPR services that provide enforcement coverage across every district in the UK. The DVLA also uses its own fleet to locate unlicensed vehicles and take direct action where appropriate. Members of the public can report unlicensed vehicles to the DVLA online at https://www.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle . The removal of abandoned vehicles is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. The police also have the powers to remove immediately any vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is likely to cause danger or is broken down or abandoned without lawful authority.