This week, Avon and Somerset Police’s Road Policing Unit launched Operation Scalis in partnership with MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau) to tackle the number of uninsured drivers on the road. During the first day of activity, 11 uninsured vehicles have already been seized and a further 2 insured at the roadside, improving road safety for all users.

Operation Scalis has already successfully been rolled out by 8 forces across the UK, including Essex, West Midlands and Thames Valley Police. The collaborative initiative involves roads policing teams utilising ANPR technology to identify uninsured vehicles before intercepting them.

The MIB-led initiative will enable Avon and Somerset Police to dedicate officer time to focus on tackling uninsured driving in key hotspots across the region, identified through uninsured claims submitted to MIB. Dedicated days will run from April through to August, with funding allocated from MIB’s £5 million investment in increasing their work in getting uninsured drivers off the roads sooner.

Whilst the primary target is uninsured vehicles, any additional criminal activity discovered will also be addressed. During the first day of activity, a vehicle stopped with suspected cloned number plates uncovered a disqualified driver who had previously been stopped for driving uninsured just two weeks prior. In an attempt to avoid a second stop, the driver had used the cloned plates to try and disguise her vehicle.

Avon and Somerset Police will be utilising several methods to identify uninsured drivers. These will include:

• Navigate, the central record of all active motor insurance policies, managed by MIB.
• Operation Tutelage markers, where cars passing ANPR cameras are compared to data on Navigate. Uninsured vehicles with an Operation Tutelage marker are then flagged to police and dealt with at the roadside.
• Using police intelligence and analysis to predict the movements of known uninsured vehicles.

Avon and Somerset Police seized 2,456 uninsured vehicles across the region between January and December in 2024, averaging nearly seven vehicles per day. By expanding Operation Scalis, they aim to surpass these figures to further reduce the risk posed by uninsured vehicles.

Driving uninsured can have severe consequences. Whilst many people assume there is just a fine, the breadth and longevity of consequences are in fact bigger. These include:

• £300 fine (Fixed Penalty Notice)
• Six points on your licence - for many young drivers and for those already with points on their licence, this means automatic disqualification
• Vehicle seized and potentially crushed
• Court referral, resulting in an unlimited fine and a driving ban
• Driving convictions can show in background checks, impacting job prospects
• A £1,000 average increase on your insurance premium

Roads Policing Inspector Matthew Boiles, Avon and Somerset Police, said: “Focusing on identifying and targeting uninsured drivers and vehicles is a crucial action in keeping Avon and Somerset’s roads safe.

“Operation Scalis is a proactive ANPR initiative that enhances road safety and reduces the financial impact on law-abiding motorists in the Avon and Somerset and we’re delighted to have MIB’s support to make this possible.

“Alongside the vehicles that are seized for no insurance, the additional criminality we identified through this operation shows how important it is for the force to be using this kind of robust action.”

Hayley Sutcliffe, Law Enforcement Liaison Officer at MIB, said “We know that all priorities are pressing for our police colleagues. However, we know that the benefits of taking dangerous uninsured vehicles off the road will be widely felt across all different areas of the force and the community.

“Expanding Operation Scalis into the Avon and Somerset allows MIB to work closely with the force to reduce the issue and save innocent road users from the devastating impacts that uninsured driving brings.”

If you’re not sure about your insurance status, check today for free: mib.org.uk/driveinsured