Police seize record haul of cars from illegal drivers

A record number of illegal drivers in London have had their cars seized by police, figures show.

Almost 32,000 vehicles of motorists found driving without insurance or a valid licence were impounded in the year to April - more than double the 14,230 seized in 2007.

Today road safety experts said this was a small proportion of the illegal drivers in the capital.

Figures from the Mayor's office show that as recently as 2004 the Met did not impound any vehicles for driving without insurance or a licence.

By 2005 the number rose to 643 and by 2006 to 5,886 as police started using Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems.

The number seized last year was 31,934. The increases came after police Safer Neighbourhood Teams were given power to seize illegal vehicles.

Borough police made 13,153 of the seizures in 2008/09, and £3million of the money made - from fines and unclaimed car auctions - is paying for police on buses and car pounds.

Police claim accident costs run up by illegal drivers mean other motorists pay £30 in higher insurance premiums each year, while cyclists and pedestrians are often victims of hit-and-runs linked to illegal motorists.