Illegal 'ghost plates' checked in taxi blitz

The infra-red number plates are obscured, or not properly read by speed or bus lane cameras, the council said

Taxis using illegal infra-red number plates that cannot be read by speed cameras are being targeted by licensing officials.

So-called ghost plates make vehicles illegally invisible to speed, bus lane or low-emission zone cameras, City of Wolverhampton council said.

The authority has now invested in specialist cameras for its taxi licencing and compliance officers who are launching a crackdown in the city.

Councillor Craig Collingswood said: “All motorists can expect to pay a fine if found to be using these illegal methods to avoid cameras and taxi drivers licensed by Wolverhampton may have their licence suspended or revoked."

The crackdown comes after the reflective plates were seen on vehicles, the authority said.

Mr Collingswood said the city was "leading the way" by investing in the cameras to deter and detect offenders.

“Bus lanes are essential for the public transport network to operate efficiently and speed cameras help to keep the public safe from speeding vehicles and reduce the likelihood of a crash," he added.