Spy chips for motorcycle number plates could be on the way

The Government has given a new indication that electronic tags in motorcycle number plates could be on the way. The chips would transmit a bike’s identity to roadside beacons to help police identify road tax evaders.

Responding to a call from MPs for action to reduce the number of untaxed bikes, the Government said: “DVLA has opened discussions with the motorcycle industry and motorcycle groups to discuss possible ways of reducing the problem. One possibility is that of using electronic tags to operate alongside ANPR [automatic number plate recognition] to detect offending motorcyclists. Discussions are at an early stage and no decisions have been made at this time.”

We revealed in May that the DVLA was conducting research into the feasibility of making the chips compulsory for bikes. An insider said the technology would be more reliable than ANPR alone.

The latest Government statement was a response to a report by the Transport Committee, a group of MPs appointed by the House Commons to scrutinise Government transport policy, which also called for motorcycles to be fitted with speed limiters.