A CAMPAIGN aimed at catching road tax cheats in Worcestershire has moved into overdrive.

The detection phase of the DVLA/Police campaign against road tax evaders has been launched and West Mercia Constabulary are now carrying out more roadside checks to ensure that vehicles are displaying a valid tax disc as well as checking vehicles for other road safety and motoring offences.

Police will also be using digital stingray cameras which take a fraction of a second to read the number plates of passing vehicles and check if road tax has been paid.

Unlicensed vehicles will then be clamped by DVLA wheelchampers and the owner will have to pay a £200 release fee.

Road tax dodgers will be required to pay all back duty owing from the date the vehicle was last licensed or face prosecution with fines of up to £1000 or five times the annual rate of duty.

A new hotline - 08000 325 202 - has also been set up so residents are able to report untaxed vehicles in their neighbourhood.

It is estimated that there are 45,000 unlicensed vehicles across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire causing West Mercia a loss of £4.6m in revenue.