Number of cloned number plates on UK roads at record high, data shows
More than 11,400 drivers last year were fined for offences they did not recognise as RAC says system needs reform The number of reported “cloned” vehicles involved in offences on UK roads has reached a record high, official data shows. More than 11,400 drivers contacted the DVLA last year after being issued with fines for offences they said they did not recognise or accept responsibility for –…
Official data reveals that the number of reported "cloned" vehicles involved in offenses on UK roads has hit a record high. More than 11,400 drivers were fined last year for offenses they did not recognize or accept responsibility for, with most believed to be due to cloning - a fraudulent practice of copying number plates on vehicles to evade enforcement cameras.
This represents a 9% increase in complaints from 2024 and nearly double the number from 2018, according to the RAC motoring organization. Cloned number plates allow criminals to evade detection and dangerous drivers to avoid being caught. An investigation found over 130 official suppliers in the UK willing to sell cloned plates, enabling drivers to dodge police and congestion charges.
This has left many innocent car owners struggling to prove they were not responsible for the offenses captured by enforcement cameras. The RAC argues that the UK needs to overhaul its outdated and poorly regulated number plate system.
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