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Drivers making themselves 'invisible' to speed cameras and 'they're everywhere'Motoring experts claim illegal numbers plates are now widespread on UK roadsCommentsBlack CountryRichard

Guttridge Agenda Editor09:37, 04 Jun 2025Ghost plates can't be read by speed or ANPR cameras. Rogue suppliers are flooding UK roads with illegal number plates which cannot be read by speed

or ANPR cameras, industry leaders have claimed.

It follows an alarming rise in the use of so-called ghost plates which effectively make drivers invisible to authorities and allow them to evade detection.

‌ Plates are cloned or tampered with to make them unreadable.

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This essentially gives drivers free rein to speed, run red lights and commit other acts of dangerous driving.

Article continues below More alarmingly, motoring figures also say it allows "serious criminals and terrorists" to move around undetected, increasing challenges for security services who

rely on tracking techniques such as ANPR cameras.

Experts say the issue is a now a crisis on Britain's roads as they called for urgent action. A campaign on ghost plates is being led by the Labour MP for West Bromwich, Sarah Coombes.

The British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA) - which represents members producing over 95% of the number plates on the UK’s 41 million vehicles - says unregistered suppliers who

don’t follow strict DVLA requirements as part of the growing problem.

‌ A letter signed by a number of motoring organisations, including the RAC, has been submitted to the Government demanding urgent action.

It says: "While punishing drivers who commit number plate offences is critical, the real problem lies with the rogue suppliers who are flooding the market with illegal plates.

"With little oversight or enforcement, they’ve turned the number plate system into a free-for-all."

‌ Ms Coombes has called for tougher punishments for number plate offenders to increase the deterrent. She said ghost plates were now "everywhere".

"Dodgy number plates are no longer a fringe issue, they’re everywhere, and they’re undermining the rule of law on our roads," she said.

"I know this Government is committed to making our roads safer for everyone, and tightening the law on number plates will be a huge step in the right direction.”

Article continues below The chair of the BNMA, Michael Flanagan said: “Far from being the tightly regulated industry it should be, number plates are increasingly being sold by unscrupulous

below-the-radar suppliers using non-compliant, untraceable materials who rarely ask for the documentation that the DVLA require.

"This is a criminal offence and enables serious criminals and terrorists to move around the roads undetected."