All the Scottish police forces some years ago were supplied with a number of ANPR cameras to install in key locations.
One city installed the cameras and put the readout in the main city police control room.
The police found that in a lot of cases they were chasing someone who was some days late in paying their annual VED. They found as advised above it was not catching that many problem users.
Six months later the readouts units were moved to the drug squad office to track suspected drug users.
They are no longer used to monitor motoring issues.
I spoke to a police control room operator 5 years ago. If a patrol car radio's in to ask if a car is taxed he could not say it is not taxed. He was instructed to advise the officers on the other end of the radio that I have no record of that vehicle being either taxed or MOT'd.
