Uninsured vehicles face being crushed

Operation Takeaway was piloted in West Cumbria in July, and has now received the go ahead to operate force-wide.

To date in West Cumbria, more than 30 cars have been seized and disposed of.

The force is working with local councils, the Fire Service and the Association of British Insurers, to tackle the growing problem.

There were eight fatal road collisions involving uninsured drivers in the county, between March 2003 and April 2004.

It is estimated every death involving an uninsured driver costs the taxpayer about �1.6m pounds to deal with the aftermath.

Inadequate cover

A Cumbria Police spokesman said: "These vehicles are being left by the roadside or on a verge, often in a residential area.

"They may then be systematically stripped for parts, kids may well play in the wrecks and there is a strong likelihood these vehicles may well be set on fire.

"Ultimately those drivers that have no insurance risk having their cars seized, impounded and crushed. "

It is estimated that one in 20 motorists drive on the UK's roads without adequate insurance cover.

The operation will target known persistent criminals, particularly those who have never passed a driving test, drink drivers, banned drivers and those who have no MOT or Road Tax.

The spokesman added: "Those drivers that fail to insure themselves are also very unlikely to possess a valid MOT certificate and will also invariably fail to tax their vehicles - with the result that they are driving vehicles that pose a risk to other road-users and need to be removed from our roads."