DfT urges local authorities to work with police to crackdown on ‘GHOST PLATES’ used on taxi and private hire vehicles
- Perry Richardson
- Mar 29
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 30
A Department for Transport (DfT) minister has urged local authorities to work with police to crackdown on ‘GHOST PLATES’ used on taxi and private hire vehicles.
A parliamentary question raised by Labour MP Sarah Coombes has brought fresh attention to a growing issue affecting the taxi and private hire industry — the use of so-called ‘ghost plates’.
Ghost plates are vehicle number plates altered or manufactured to evade detection by traffic enforcement cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems. These plates can be tampered with using reflective films, spacing alterations or even digital technology to distort characters, making them unreadable or invisible to cameras.
The Department for Transport confirmed it is aware of ghost plates being used on taxis and private hire vehicles. In a recent response, Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the department, said local licensing authorities are expected to work with police forces to tackle the problem.
Ghost plates pose a significant enforcement challenge. In the taxi and private hire sector, where passenger safety and accountability are paramount, the presence of untraceable vehicles undermines regulation and trust. Vehicles displaying these illegal plates can evade congestion charges, speed cameras, low-emission zone fees and insurance identification. In cases involving licensed drivers, it may also allow them to avoid penalties for breaches of licensing conditions.
Industry observers say tougher enforcement and increased collaboration between local authorities and police are needed to prevent the rise in use of these plates and protect legitimate operators.
Minister Lightwood said: “We are aware of the issue of ghost plates being used on vehicles, including taxis and private hire vehicles. We would expect licensing authorities to work with the police to address this.”
