Good Bye Tax Disc

[Carbotec]

From 1 October 2014, the DVLA will no longer issue paper tax discs, instead, as in the way of all things now, the system will become paperless – digital! Motorists will be obliged to pay their vehicle tax (for vehicles that they drive and keep) by Direct Debit or through the Post Office. Anyone who doesn’t pay their vehicle tax will incur a £1,000 fine. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla


Road tax disc abolished

Absent or expired tax discs always indicated a lack of vehicle tax payment so how will parking attendants know after 1 October if tax has been paid or not? A new system will come into force whereby cameras that are equipped with automatic number place recognition (ANPR) will be installed on our streets. It does smack a bit of Big Brother is watching you now.

However, the DVLA claim that the new system will have many advantages:

As they have access to our vehicle insurance and MOT records the camera system can cross-reference with the number plate to check if the car’s insurance and MOT are valid. This will help to identify uninsured drivers and vehicles that may not be road worthy – highlighting some dangerous practices.
Motorists will gain more flexible payment options.
It will be harder for tax dodgers to drive untaxed vehicles.
The taxpayer will save about £7 million each year through the removal of administrative costs as the tax discs will no longer be created.

What happens in rural areas where there are less cameras?
Will the ANPR system link into the police and private companies?
Some car parks already operate ANPR systems and sometimes these machines break down what happens in the event of the machinery going wrong?
What about the risk of fraud – duplicate number plates could be attached to several identical models?
If you borrow a vehicle to drive how do you know it is taxed and therefore legal to drive on the road?
The paper tax disc serves as a reminder to pay the tax, without it how will people remember when to renew?
Also, when buying a used car people could look at the tax disc to see how much time was left before the road tax had to be renewed and paid. A lot of people prefer to buy cars with a lot of time left on the tax disc date to save them having to pay the tax in the near future. Once tax discs disappear the transferability of road tax will be gone so that buyers no longer obtain the outstanding balance of road tax and will have to pay new road tax immediately. Sellers will be able to claim back any unused tax as a refund from the DVLA. This does add on more inconvenience for the buyer and seller but the DVLA think it will help to reduce the risks of people driving untaxed vehicles. Another downside is that refunds will only be given for complete unexpired months and not part months.

It makes you wonder what will go next!

[karmels]

Carbotec.

We live in the TRNC what has this rubbish got to do with us??
We have not lived in the UK for over 20 years.

[Denise13]

maybe we don't live in the UK but it is nice to keep up with what is going on and if you are not interested then you don't have to read. i wouldn't dream of going into a topic about football as i am not interested but there will be people who are. so thank you Carbotec for posting.

[Ragged Robin]

Well it get me worried because at first I thought it meant the TRNC - just imagine that system here

My fault I suppose for speed reading - DVLA should have given me a clue. I too appreciate "news from home" but it might be an idea to indicate UK related topics in the heading?

[Dalartokat]

I did post a link on this subject but it was under a different heading "From our own correspondent"


http://www.kibkomnorthcyprusforum.com/v ... =8&t=17139


and as Denise13 says, it's good to let people know what is going on. Some people switch from UK to TRNC after 3 months, 6 months and a lot can change either way. If you live permanently in TRNC and don't want to know, then as is said dont' read.