Taxi driver loses ghost plate appeal

A taxi driver has lost a court appeal after his licence was revoked by a council over number plates designed to avoid speed cameras.

Aqeel Shakeel told a hearing he had bought the Audi A4 with the plates already fitted and was unaware they were illegal.

But Wolverhampton City Council said it was later established the car had failed an MOT because of the plates, suggesting he had removed them previously.

The driver, of Countess Street, Walsall, had his licence revoked with immediate effect for dishonesty and was ordered to pay £1,923 in legal costs after Dudley Magistrates' Court dismissed his appeal.

Ghost plates are modified with reflective coatings so that automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras - used in bus lanes and speed enforcement - cannot accurately read a vehicle's registration.

Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for residents' services, said the council was taking proactive action to make sure the public was kept safe.

"The council will always take robust action when drivers fail to meet the high standards expected of them," he said.

Zee Russell, chair of the council's regulatory committee, added the council had completely banned all 3D licence plates and drivers had no excuse.

Last year, a parliamentary inquiry into illegal ghost number plates was launched after the Operation Phantom pilot scheme detected more than 4,000 in use over a two-week period in Birmingham.

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