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Automotive

Testing reveals thousands of illegal ghost plates on UK motorways

BBC News reports that new camera technology detected thousands of hidden vehicle registration plates in south-east England.

Updated Sep 28, 2026 · 06:14 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • New camera technology being tested in south-east England detected thousands of illegal 'ghost' plates daily across multiple motorway locations.[BBC News]
  • A test site near the Dartford Crossing logged over 1,000 ghost plates per day, while another site near the M25 logged nearly 2,000 daily.[BBC News]
  • Data obtained via Freedom of Information shows only six DVLA officers audit registered UK suppliers, with just two prosecuted since 2020.[BBC News]
  • Police leadership is calling for stricter regulation and licensing rules regarding who is permitted to issue vehicle number plates.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • A new camera system tested on motorways in south-east England detected thousands of illegal ghost registration plates.[BBC News]
  • MAV Systems recorded an average of over 1,000 ghost plates daily near the Dartford Crossing over several months.[BBC News]
  • Detections near the M25 rose to nearly 2,000 per day, while a site near the Eurotunnel flagged over 400 daily.[BBC News]
  • Only six DVLA officers inspect and audit thousands of registered UK number plate suppliers.[BBC News]
  • Just two number plate suppliers have been prosecuted and removed from the DVLA register since 2020.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether police requests for tighter licensing and regulation of number plate issuers will be implemented nationwide.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.