Thousands of vehicles fitted with illegal registration plates have been detected by a new camera system being tested on roads in south-east England, revealing a growing challenge for the UK’s automatic number plate recognition network.
The technology has identified so-called ghost plates, which use reflective materials to prevent cameras from correctly reading registration numbers. According to BBC, the new system has detected more than 1,000 such plates per day at one test location near the Dartford Crossing, with other sites also reporting hundreds or thousands of daily detections.
New Cameras Reveal Limits Of Existing Anpr Systems
According to BBC, the new system has detected more than 1,000 such plates per day at one test location near the Dartford Crossing, with other sites also reporting hundreds or thousands of daily detections.
The UK operates one of the world’s largest automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) networks, with around 14,000 camera sites collecting approximately 100 million plate reads every day. Police forces use the system for investigations, traffic enforcement and efforts to identify vehicles linked to crime.
The new technology, developed by MAV Systems, is designed to identify plates that appear normal to the human eye but are difficult for standard ANPR cameras to process. Testing near the M25 recorded detections rising from around 1,000 per day to nearly 2,000 per day, while a site near Folkestone identified more than 400 suspected ghost plates daily.
Illegal plates can take several forms. Cloned plates copy the registration number of another vehicle, meaning an innocent driver’s identity can be used by another car. Ghost plates display the correct registration but contain materials that interfere with camera recognition.
Concerns Over Number Plate Supply Controls
Former senior counter-terrorism officer Tony Porter, who previously advised the government on surveillance cameras, said weaknesses in number plate security affect police investigations.
The supply system has also faced scrutiny. The UK has more than 34,000 registered number plate suppliers approved by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). BBC Panorama reported that undercover filming found businesses offering illegal plates without carrying out required identity checks.
In one case, a plate was purchased for £40 without providing identification or proof of entitlement to use the registration. Buying certain types of plates is not automatically illegal, but using a non-compliant plate on a vehicle is against the law.
The DVLA said in a statement that it was “cleaning up the register, strengthening compliance and enforcement” and that it continued to work closely with police and Trading Standards to “tackle suppliers who break the rules”.
Government Plans National Response To Illegal Plates
Police leaders have called for tighter controls over companies allowed to produce registration plates. Chief Constable Tim Forber, the UK policing lead on ANPR, said forces regularly encounter vehicles with cloned plates connected to serious and organised crime.
Justin Madders, the minister responsible for vehicle registration, said the government is creating a national centre focused on illegal number plates. The initiative is intended to improve information sharing between police forces, test new technology and address attempts to avoid fines or detection.
During a roadside operation involving police and DVLA officials near Birmingham and West Bromwich, officers used specialist infrared goggles to identify a van displaying a ghost plate. The driver received a £100 fine.
The inspection also led officials to examine a plate supplier where officers found ghost plate materials among stock displayed at the premises. The supplier received a warning letter, while a possible prosecution remained under consideration.
Two number plate suppliers have been prosecuted and removed from the DVLA register since 2020, while six DVLA officers are responsible for inspecting and auditing thousands of registered suppliers across the UK.
