BNMA calls for action on 1 in 15 ghost plates on ITV’s Good Morning Britain
26 February 2025
“Epidemic” level of ghost plates in the UK calls for rapid and co-ordinated solution to prevent crime.
Update: "the Ayes have it"
MP Sarah Coombes' Bill for stronger penalties has been approved in the House of Commons for a second hearing on Friday 7th March.
BNMA’s chair Michael Flanagan outlined the problem and called for more action on implementing the ANPR and Number Plate Working Group Report’s recommendations*. West Bromwich MP (Lab), Sarah Coombes raised the issue in this afternoon’s Parliament, highlighting that the current £100 fine is not proportionate with the scale of the potential related crimes, being less than many speeding or even parking fines.
BNMA chair Michael Flanagan joins West Bromwich MP (Lab) Sarah Coombes on Good Morning Britain to show how undetectable number plates enable crime and to call for action.
What are ghost plates?
Ghost plates are plates that look like legal number plates to the naked eye, but are invisible to cameras. Cameras use Near Infrared to read number plates and any number plate that can’t be read in Near Infrared is illegal. The (2021) British Standard (BS AU 145e) requires all number plates is to be readable in NIR.
Therefore ghost plates, alongside any other plates that are invisible to cameras, are illegal.
Why do the BNMA consider ghost plates a problem?
When considering the combined number of ghost plates thought to be in the UK car parc alongside both the potential severity of crimes and loss of government revenue that are facilitated by cars becoming invisible to cameras, the BNMA recommends rapid implementation of the Working Group Report’s recommendation.
What does the BNMA recommend?
The BNMA recommends that Government enact the Working Group Report’s actions, created by the ANPR Independent Advisory Group.
The Police in many areas are struggling to track down criminals who are using ghost number plates. West Bromwich MP (Lab), Sarah Coombes, who was also a guest on this morning’s show, highlighted that the penalties are not fit-for-purpose and called for up to £1,000 fine and six penalty points on the driver’s licence. She also indicated that crimes enabled by ghost plates may range for petty crimes to serious organised crime to terrorism as the hidden identity enables concealment.
How big a problem are ghost plates?
One study indicated that up to 1 in 15 number plates are undetectable for ANPR cameras. Good Morning Britain host Richard Madeley described the problem as an ‘epidemic’.
What are the penalties for drivers?
Currently drivers with ghost plates, if they can be caught, can be fined up to £100. However the offence does not carry any driving licence points.
The proposals put forward by Sarah Coombes MP are to increase this to £1,000 and six points on the driver’s licence.
What are the rules and penalties for suppliers?
Number plate suppliers must produce number plates that comply with the British Standard and record details of the buyer. BNMA members supply matched components that are fully compliant with the British Standard. Suppliers that do not comply with these rules can be suspended from the DVLA Register of Number Plate Suppliers and/or fined £1,000. Suppliers that do not register can be fined up to £5,000.
How can you spot a ghost plate?
Unfortunately by their very nature, ghost plates cannot be seen by the naked eye and can only be detected with specialist (NIR) camera.
Find out more
To find out more about supplier responsibilities including the British Standard BS AU 145e, take a look around our website.
If you would like further information, please email us at contact@bnma.org
Watch the Good Morning Britain coverage
https://x.com/GMB/status/1894653214668075516
https://www.itv.com/watch/good-morning-britain/2a3211
Watch the Parliamentary coverage
On 26/02/2025 from 13:46:21
Ten Minute Rule Motion: Vehicle Registration Offences (Review)
https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons
*Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Independent Advisory Group (IAG) – ANPR and Number Plate Working Group Report