DVLA to seek fines from foreign drivers

• New bill to track down foreign offenders
• 700,000 fines a year go unpaid at present
• DVLA to track law-breakers abroad

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The Government has launched a scheme to make foreign drivers pay parking, bus lane and congestion-charge fines.

An estimated 700,000 fines accrued by vehicles with foreign registrations go unpaid each year. Around half of those are in London.

Under new legislation in the recent Local Transport Bill, however, the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will be given permission to approach foreign counterparts for information.

At present, local authorities have no right to access the information and have to cancel the fines.

Some councils previously attempted to trace foreign vehicles with unpaid fines while they were still in the UK and clamp them.

However, a driver from Luxembourg who was clamped in east London took his case to the European Commission, which upheld his complaint.