YouTube dashcam vigilante targets Shropshire in mission to crack down on 'illegal' driving
A dashcam vigilante who is on a mission to get more funding for roads policing has been recording 'illegal' driving in Shropshire.
The furniture van driver from Oxfordshire recently spotted a taxi driver with what he claimed to be changed number plates which could invalidate insurance.
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said they would look at that issue.
"I report people for having false number plates," said YouTuber VOSA Audits, who did not want to reveal his identity.
"The police have other things to do. My whole ethos is to let the Government know that they need more funds.
"I am really pro-police. Their funding has been cut back to virtually zero and we are now facing a problem of epidemic proportions on our roads."
VOA Audits says he regularly sees illegal driving many times and wants to help the police to "bring crime under control".
He regularly sees drivers on their mobile phones and is aware of issues of cloned number plates, where duplicate plates are used to commit crimes that are then blamed on innocent people.
But VOSA Audits admits his legal knowledge comes down to reading information on relevant government websites.
"If anyone I put in a video challenges me in court, 100 per cent would I stand up in court to defend what I do. I show the video evidence that number plates have not conformed with legislation.
"But I know they won't because they know they are in the wrong. Every law abiding citizen has the right to report unlawful activity. Without the video though it would be hearsay.
"I hope that the law becomes stricter to curtail these problems."
He added: "I am on the roads every day and I sit in the passenger seat recording incidents. Every day, hand on heart, I see up to five number plates with illegal showplates."
VOSA Audits also records incidents of drivers using their mobile phones, including one where a driver was scrolling on his phone while doing nearly 70mph at Junction 10 of the M6 in Walsall.
"I have asked for a meeting with Pippa Mills, the chief constable in West Mercia, because they are not doing anything about it. I want to raise public awareness of the issues. Police do an amazing job but they have no funds for enforcement."
He claims that Shropshire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands have some of the worst driving in the country.
And he added that Wales is like the "wild west" on the roads.
Shropshire Council is the regulator of taxi licences in the county, except Telford & Wrekin.
Councillor Richard Marshall, Cabinet member for highways and regulatory services said they would look at the specific issue but that generally issues regarding vehicle registration plates is primarily a matter for the police.
Councillor Marshall said: “Issues regarding illegal vehicle registration plates is primarily a matter for the police to address.
“However, from the council’s perspective, this specific issue can and will be addressed by the licensing team in line with our complaint investigation processes and in accordance with the council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy and our Better Regulation and Enforcement Policy.”
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said dashcam footage can be sent to the force.
"Dashcam and other digital footage showing potential dangerous driving or traffic offences - e.g. driving dangerously or carelessly, overtaking on solid white lines, ignoring traffic lights or dangerous driving around other road users, such as horse riders and cyclists - can be submitted online to West Mercia Police via Op Snap Operation Snap westmercia.police.uk/police-forces/west-mercia-police/areas/west-mercia/campaigns/campaigns/2019/operation-snap/
The spokesperson added: "Specific issues with number plates are unable to be dealt with by this process and should be reported via the online reporting tool on our website. Report a road traffic incident at westmercia.police.uk/ro/report/rti/rti-beta-2.1/report-a-road-traffic-incident/
"These will be actioned by an officer as seen fit in line with current priorities and allocation of resources."
On Tuesday this week the videos uploaded to the VOSA Audits YouTube channel had disappeared from public view, although by Wednesday a few had reappeared.
