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Daily Mail, 19th June 2006
By Political Correspondent
British motorists are to be pursued for parking tickets and speeding fines incurred on the continent under plans being drawn up by the government.
Ministers have given the DVLA permission to pass the details of British drivers to foreign police forces so they can chase offenders for payment of any criminal penalty.
From March next year, the DVLA will also be able to send out tickets on behalf of foreign countries - although they will not be able to penalise British motorists by adding points to licences.
Under the new laws, all EU member states will be legally bound to follow up unpaid fines if requested by another member state.
But it is expected to apply only to fines over 70 euros, about £50.
Ministers are currently in the process of reaching agreements with other EU countries to issue a blanket ban on drivers convicted of the most serious driving offences.
The new moves also mean thousands of foreigners who commit offences in this country will not escape justice.
In London alone, it is estimated that foreign drivers owed around £40million last year in unpaid congestion charge fines, parking tickets and bus lane tickets.
Campaigners last night welcomed EU countries working together to penalise criminal offences, but raised concerns about handing over driver details for more minor offences. Paul Watters, head of road safety at the AA Motoring Trust, said: "We have concerns about what language civil penalties will be issued in, and whether British drivers will have the same access to appeal as they would in their own country."
Sheila Rainger, campaigns manager for the RAC foundation, said clamping down on foreign offenders was 'good news'. "There are increasing numbers of people who register their cars abroad to avoid fines and penalties. But that is not fair on everyone else," she said.
Shadow local government minister Eric Pickles said: "Drivers have already been hit by speed camera fines and soaring parking charges under Labour. Now they are fleecing them even more by helping zealous foreign penpusher to hunt them down.
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