POLICE in Lancashire are joining forces with the Driver and Vehicle Licence Agency in a major clampdown against road tax cheats.

The campaign has two phases and begins on Tuesday with a publicity campaign to raise people's awareness of the issue. This will be followed by a detection and prosecution phase which starts on October 13.

During the first two weeks motorists will be encouraged to ensure that their vehicles are properly licensed. The DVLA is also announcing a new hotline number for people who want to report vehicles with out-of-date tax discs. The freephone number is 08000 325 202.

During the enforcement phase, Lancashire police - along with officer throughout the North West - will operate roadside checkpoints and use Automatic Number Plate Recognition equipment to support the DVLA in catching offenders.

The DVLA's mobile wheelclamping units and Stingray camera system will be on the look out for anyone not displaying a valid tax disc. Vehicles found without a valid tax disc will be clamped and could be impounded and crushed by the DVLA.

Chief Inspector Tracie O'Gara said: "We are happy to be working closely with the DVLA to encourage motorists to tax their vehicles. The involvement of four police forces in the North West region in this campaign should prove successful as we look to deny criminals the use of our roads.

At present there are currently around 42,000 unlicensed vehicles in Lancashire alone.

Police officers often find that motorists who avoid paying their road tax do not have a valid MOT certificate or insurance either. These people are putting other road users in danger as well as avoiding a tax that the rest of us pay."