A tough new police campaign will see tax dodgers' cars confiscated or even crushed.

Squads of clampers will hunt out and target cars parked without tax discs before carting them off to the scrapyard if they are not claimed.

The tough message came yesterday at the launch of a two-week publicity campaign to persuade motorists to tax their cars.

Nearly 48,000 Essex motorists are breaking the law at a cost of nearly £6 million a year to the taxpayer. The figure is £195 million nationally.

Many cars caught without tax discs are also in poor condition and a risk to other motorists, according to police.

Hit squads will be sent out to catch tax-dodging motorists, with wheel clamps applied after authorisation from the DVLA.

If impounded, only a new tax disc will save the car from the scrapyard.

Chief Insp Tom Diment, of Essex Police's traffic division, said: "Honest motorists are fed up with the actions of a small minority who do not tax their vehicles.

"These vehicles often do not have insurance or MOT certificates and therefore are a danger on our roads."

Clamped cars will be towed away within 24 hours unless the owners pay £68. Motorists will have to stump up £135 plus a £12-a-day fee storage fee for impounded cars.

Any car not claimed within five weeks will be crushed or sold at auction.

Inspector Andy Norton of Rayleigh police's traffic unit said: "It's time motorists realised that a vehicle excise licence is not optional and I fully support this tougher approach.

"The choice is yours: a new tax disc or a cube of scrap metal."

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