Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Policy Casework and Advice
Policy and External Communications Directorate
D16
Longview Road
Morriston
Swansea
SA6 7JL
Telephone
01792 786727
Fax
01792 384565
Minicom
Veronica Chapman
Email
[email address]
Website
www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
Your Ref
7553-fc09e5db
Our Ref
Date:
12 March 2009
Dear Ms Chapman,
Thank you for your letter of 1 March to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
regarding the disposal of untaxed vehicles.  I should explain that your enquiry hasn’t been
dealt with as a Freedom of Information request but as a routine day to day business request.
The Agency has powers to clamp and/or impound untaxed vehicles on the public highway (as
defined under section 62 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994). The regulations
are set out in The Vehicle Excise Duty (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal of Vehicles)
Regulations 1997, as amended.
A determined effort is made to contact the vehicle keeper in all instances where an unlicensed
vehicle is impounded. It is only after these prove to be fruitless, or a keeper provides a
disclaimer, that vehicles are disposed of.  The vast majority of vehicles impounded are of low
value, very poor quality and in most cases not roadworthy.  Vehicles are occasionally
disposed of at auction but the majority are considered to be in too poor condition to risk
putting back onto the road and are subsequently crushed in the interests of road safety.  No
vehicles of a reasonable condition are needlessly crushed.
I trust that this clarifies the position for you.
Yours sincerely,
Sent unsigned via e-mail
Tina Higgins
Policy Casework and Advice

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