MUCH has been written lately about uninsured and untaxed vehicles, as well as ones without MOTs.

What I would propose would be a device fitted to every vehicle on the road, which would require a sophisticated electronic 'chip' to be inserted to enable the vehicle to start. For a vehicle to be 'chipped' it would have to be taxed, insured and an MOT if applicable.

Chipping would be carried out at secured government-appointed sites, similar to MOT centres, where production of the necessary documents would result in the fitting of the chip.

The device would gradually shut down -- for safety reasons -- the vehicle when the chip expires i.e. when the insurance, tax etc. becomes void.

Keep the ships securely guarded with a mandatory 10-year prison sentence for anyone caught stealing them, tampering with the device on the vehicle, or producing forged documents and, finally, develop the 'gatso' cameras to detect any vehicle not fitted with a chip.

Who would pay for all this? Ultimately the motorist, but insurance premiums should come down and suddenly the cameras would become the law-abiding motorists' friends.

COLIN CLAYTON, Haworth Street, Rishton.