Operation Redgrave catches uninsured drivers at home (From Sutton Guardian)

Sutton police are tackling uninsured drivers in their own front yard

9:00am Saturday 11th August 2012 in News By James Pepper

An uninsured driver has become the first in the borough to have his vehicle seized from his driveway.

The 25-year-old man returned home to find police officers on his drive on Erskine Road, Sutton on Thursday August 2.

After failing to produce his insurance papers officers gave him a fixed penalty notice of £200, six penalty points on his licence and seized his vehicle.

As part of Operation Redgrave - a pilot initiative in South West London to tackle uninsured drivers - police have been identifying drivers who are suspected of not having insurance and then visiting their homes.

Drivers who do not have valid insurance will have their vehicle seized from their driveway or in the street outside their address.

In addition, police can remove the vehicle from their garage if they know the uninsured vehicle is inside.

There is a fee of £150 to recover the vehicle from the police car pound, plus an additional charge of £20 each day it remains in the pound.

Vehicles can only be collected if drivers can produce valid vehicle documentation including insurance.

Vehicles that are not claimed from the police pound are crushed.

Safer neighbourhoods inspector Neil Tyre said: "We have the ability to target people living in Sutton and drivers passing through the borough who do not have insurance for their vehicles. Driving without insurance is a criminal offence as well as being extremely unfair to law abiding drivers who have valid insurance." 

According to the Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers increase other drivers' insurance premiums by an average of £30. They are also five times more likely to be involved in road collisions