01/09/2026: Good Morning Britain "Come on, Roads Ministry, we should sort it out."

Good Morning Britain once again picks up the issue of the ease of obtaining and using illegal number plates, and the effect on the public.

"Come on Roads Ministry, we should sort it out!"

Susanna Reid, Good Morning Britain, 01/09/2026

Good Morning Britain Highlights Number Plate Cloning Crisis again

Michael Flanagan, Chair of the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA), appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain to discuss the growing problem of cloned vehicle registration plates and the impact on innocent motorists.

During the interview, Michael explained that weak regulation is a key factor behind the rise in cloned, ghost and stealth number plates, enabling criminals to evade detection while leaving law-abiding vehicle owners facing fines, penalty points and court appearances for offences they did not commit.

Highlighting the scale of the issue, Michael referenced evidence submitted to the All-Party Parliamentary Group inquiry on vehicle crime, which estimated that as many as one in 15 number plates on Britain's motorway network may be cloned. He stressed that motorists have "zero ability" to prevent their registration number from being copied and that the burden often falls on victims to prove they were not responsible for offences committed using cloned plates.

Michael also outlined how a multi-agency working group involving police, government departments, DVLA and industry representatives previously reached consensus on a series of recommendations designed to significantly reduce the incidence of illegitimate number plates. He noted that the BNMA has presented the Roads Minister with solutions developed by its manufacturing members, including security features comparable to those found in passports and payment cards.

The interview concluded with a call for government action to strengthen regulation and better protect consumers from the growing threat of number plate fraud.