Vehicles could be crushed as part of the council crackdown

Oxford City Council is to use new powers to step up its campaign to remove dangerous and untaxed cars from the streets.

It has been granted powers to clamp cars without a valid tax disc by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

Figures for Oxfordshire show there are 16,000 unlicensed vehicles currently on the county's roads.

There are thought to be 16,000 unlicensed vehicles in Oxfordshire

Councillor Susan Brown said: "The city council is focused on making our city a safer place to live and work.

"Government figures show that cars without a valid tax disc are much more likely to be involved in crime.

"They are a threat to the safety of our communities and we are determined to clear them from our streets."

The council says any owner of a car who fails to pay the clamp release fee and to buy a valid tax disc will see it crushed or sold at auction after seven days.

Those without a valid road tax disc also face the threat of a �1,000 fine for a private vehicle or motorcycle and up to �23,000 for a heavy goods vehicle.

Earlier this year, the council launched a month-long campaign which saw almost 200 abandoned or unlicensed cars wheel-clamped or removed and crushed in its first two weeks.