Andrew is celebrating victory after the announcement of a Government clampdown on illegal foreign drivers who flout the law, in response to his campaign on the issue.
Andrew first raised this in September 2012 when he was shocked to discover the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency were not recording which vehicles entered the country, making the mandatory registration of vehicles after six months unenforceable. It is estimated that 350,000 drivers flout this law, costing the Treasury £60m in lost tax revenues. The cost to the economy is expected to be much more through evasion of parking fines and car insurance.
Andrew Percy says, “When the last Labour Government decided to open up our borders to unlimited EU immigration back in 2003, they should have planned for the registration of vehicles. This is yet another issue they failed to foresee or plan for.
“I raised this in Parliament repeatedly following residents’ reports of eastern European migrants driving around with foreign plates, for in some cases years after their arrival here. It’s an issue of fairness and causes resentment locally when residents see people driving around illegally in untaxed, uninsured and unsafe vehicles.
“It has taken far too long for this clampdown to come, but I am pleased the Government have finally acted. I must express my thanks to local residents who have raised this issue with me over the years.”
