Labour MP Sarah Coombes has visited ANPR specialists MAV Systems to discuss the growing threat posed by illegal “ghost plates” and the urgent need for stronger enforcement, tougher legislation, and advanced technology solutions to tackle the problem.
The visit forms part of Sarah Coombes’ ongoing campaign to address the increasing use of Ghost Plates on UK roads. These illegally modified registration plates are designed to defeat conventional ANPR and traffic enforcement systems, allowing offenders to evade detection by speed cameras, congestion charging systems,
parking enforcement networks and police investigations.
While many people associate ghost plates with avoiding speeding fines or road charges, the consequences extend far beyond traffic offences. Law enforcement agencies and road safety professionals are increasingly concerned that Ghost Plates are being used by organised criminals and repeat offenders to conceal their
movements, evade police detection and undermine critical road policing operations.
During her visit, Sarah Coombes met with MAV’s Managing Director, Andy Humphries (pictured, left) and Head of Products and Services, Chris Shepherd (right), to discuss the scale of the problem, the weaknesses within the current registration plate supply chain, and the technological advancements available to support enforcement agencies in identifying and prosecuting offenders.
MAV Systems has been at the forefront of developing solutions to address this growing challenge. The company’s advanced ANPR camera portfolio incorporates its proprietary GhostPlate™ technology, specifically designed to identify and detect vehicles using evasive techniques including Ghost plate modifications which can remain invisible to traditional ANPR camera systems.
With ANPR technology playing a critical role in modern policing, border security, traffic enforcement and public safety operations, maintaining the integrity of vehicle registration systems is essential. Industry experts warn that when registration plates can no longer be reliably read, the effectiveness of numerous enforcement and security systems is compromised.
Chris Shepherd said:
“The integrity of the number plate system underpins a significant proportion of road policing and criminal investigations across the UK. Ghost Plates are not simply a road traffic issue; they are a public safety and national security concern. If criminals can deliberately avoid identification, they create gaps in the systems relied upon by police, enforcement agencies and wider security networks.”
The discussions also highlighted concerns regarding the continued purchase of ANPR cameras which could not support the identification of Ghost Plates.
Sarah Coombes MP concluded:
“I don’t think that the public sector should be paying for cameras on our road that cannot read ghost number plates. That is a thing of the past – we have to be able to deal with technology of the current and of the future”
(Picture: MAV Systems)
