Uckfield cars clamped in tax disc crackdown

A crackdown on untaxed vehicles has been carried out in Uckfield.

Yellow immobilising clamps have been attached to the front off-side wheel of cars in a number of locations, including Framfield Road and Nevill Road.

The town and surrounding area was targeted by the DVLA in November and December.

Gary Webb from NSL, which runs the national wheel clamping and removal operation for the DVLA, told Uckfield News: “Our work for the DVLA takes us around the country, and at all times, to locate untaxed vehicles.

“Our Brighton team worked in the Uckfield area during both November and December and encountered five untaxed vehicles in Uckfield in both months.

“Untaxed vehicles found on public roads and subsequently clamped by NSL can normally be released within 24 hours if a release fee is paid and the vehicle taxed.

“Otherwise the vehicle can be removed to a secure vehicle pound where owners typically have another seven days to pay release fees and tax their vehicles.

“After that period the vehicle can be scrapped or sold.”

Clamping vans patrolling the streets are equipped with automatic number plate reader (ANPR) technology. Roof-mounted cameras read the number plates of vehicles parked at the roadside.

The number plates are checked against a list of untaxed vehicles and any identified are confirmed against the DVLA vehicle register.

The untaxed vehicle is then clamped, towed away and impounded after 24 hours (or immediately in some cases).

For release within 24 hours, a fee of £100 has to be paid along with the production of a valid tax disc. After 24 hours, the fee rises to £200 plus any storage charges (at £21 a day) plus a valid tax disc.

You can also face prosecution.

*The photograph is of a car clamped in Framfield Road.