Drivers warned by DVLA to tax their cars after vehicles clamped in Southsea this week

The warning from the comes after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) wheel clamping partner, clamped an Audi in Owen Street and ticketed a Smart car around the corner in Kimberley Road for being untaxed.

According to the DVLA this was not part of a targeted operation but ‘routine’ business.

A spokeswoman for the DVLA told The News: ‘Wheel clamping is one of a range of enforcement measures used to tackle vehicle tax evasion.

‘As part of their day-to-day enforcement activities, DVLA’s national wheel clamping partner goes to different areas of the country to clamp or impound any untaxed vehicles seen on the road.’

‘Whilst over 98 per cent of vehicles on the road are taxed correctly, it is right that we take action against those who break the law and don’t tax their vehicle.’

The organisation enforces the payment of road tax using its database of more than 44 million vehicle records, as well as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to spot and enforce against untaxed vehicles.

It is the law that every vehicle registered in the United Kingdom must be taxed before being used or kept on a public road.

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DVLA offers a range of options for drivers to pay their vehicle tax, including using their online services, which are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The costs of vehicle tax can also be spread throughout the year via direct debit instalments.

Those who fail to tax their vehicles are likely to face financial penalties, court action, wheel clamping or eventually lose their vehicle if they do not take action.

If your vehicle has been wheel clamped because it is untaxed, you will need to tax your vehicle and then pay a release fee. More information can be found on gov.uk.

Where a vehicle has not been taxed but the keeper has not declared it off the road (SORN) the DLVA can take enforcement action. Also if an untaxed or SORN vehicle is seen on the public road enforcement action can be taken