Expired tax discs, no insurance, illegal number plates and dumped cars. Vehicle irregularities seem to have exploded over the summer months, with foreign-plated cars without valid tax discs that can run through speed cameras and park with impunity, to local cars whose drivers just don’t bother to replace the rear lights even when both bulbs have burnt out.

Having wardens and traffic policemen at every junction is not possible and while they deal with one vehicle, five other vehicles with irregularities will probably drive by. Strategically installed Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras could easily and efficiently deal with the most serious illegalities such as driving without insurance.

Hooked up to a national vehicle database, an ANPR camera installed, say, in the Regional Road tunnels could automatically check whether the vehicles passing through are licenced, insured, have passed a VRT and are stolen or wanted by the police. Photos are taken and the evidence is collected instantly, reducing valuable man-hours and ensuring that no one slips through the net.

This technology is not new and is used extensively in the UK, helping law enforcement authorities trace stolen vehicles and track vehicles linked with organised crime as they travel up and down the motorways. They could even help in solving burglaries, hit-and-runs and a whole host of other crimes.

We all know that it is illegal to drive a vehicle without appropriate insurance and a valid, displayed tax disc. During the past month alone, I’ve seen a Maltese-registered limousine with an expired tax disc (May 2014) and a brand new American sports car without licence plates (let alone tax and insurance) together with a plethora of unlicensed vehicles parked at the Buġibba front for everyone to see.

I’m sure that if a warden spotted these vehicles he would immediately issue a ticket – which is all very well and good, but if they are ‘illegally’ on the road, shouldn’t they be towed away immediately?