Proactive Policing (ANPR)

[QuietOne]

I, as have you all, seen the various telly programmes showing the proactive operations of the RPU's in the UK, and I wonder if this sort of policing would be of any benefit on the Island. I know we don't have the amount of traffic here as they do on the other mainland, but some of the tech that they use is pretty sweet, especially the ANPR device. I understand the idea of this being used on the Island has been thrown around before, but personally, I think it would be a good idea.

Not only could we reduce the number of untaxed and uninsured drivers on the roads, but ( this is going to hurt I know! ) the DoT or whatever they're called nowadays, could fix our damn roads with the extra money they get from any fines and the extra money gained from drivers suddenly getting their vehicles taxed and insured because of the increased risk of being caught.

Comments welcome

[VR6]

Massive waste of time, money and resources.

Insurance raises no extra money for the IOM roads. If people don't tax a car, odds are they won't pay fines or actually tax it if they get caught.

They have a record of when a car gets taxed. So why not just introduce a system that says if you haven't declared a car 'off the road' and you haven't taxed it within a week or two of tax renewal, you either get fined or paid a visit.

[man83g]

I agree, anpr technology would be wasted over here. The island is small enough for a system similar to that described above. However i remember reading somewhere that a traffic car was going to be introduced to the island that could read numberplates. Think it was last year when they had a bit of a crackdown on lettering on plates...

[QuietOne]

How about an all inclusive "disc" on your windscreen that can only be obtained by having valid tax and insurance?

[Unders]

How about an all inclusive "disc" on your windscreen that can only be obtained by having valid tax and insurance?

Are you being sarcastic or something? I cant tell

[warby]

How about an all inclusive "disc" on your windscreen that can only be obtained by having valid tax and insurance?

At the time of issue, nothing stopping you cancelling the policy after you get said "disc" like now, apart from it being illegal. No gain there I'm afraid IMO.

[Seren Arian]

I think the use of "dashes" in the Manx plates would probably knacker up using any form of ANPR, not sure? Knowing our Goverment, they probably didn't think of that aspect when they introduced them back in the day. It would be tragic & amsuing in equal measure if they spent a few hundred thousand on some all singing & dancing ANPR system, only to find out it didn't work, AND paid some UK-based consultants a huge fee to sort it on their behalf.

They really are still getting after people with "non compliant" plates, plenty of letters being issued advising people to change their plates or face further action. Seems to happen when vehicles are left parked in public car parks or designated parking places rather than outside houses or on residential roads, indicating it's traffic wardens that are doing the dirt work on shopping people to the authorities. Another reason to hate them! I doesn't appear to be the police enforcing it, although if they pull you over for something else, they'd almost certainly mention it.