November 26, 2025 - 267 views
An operation targeting uninsured drivers on North Wales’s roads since the beginning of the month continues.
At the start of November, North Wales Police became the first police force in Wales to join Operation Scalis, a UK-wide initiative led by MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau) to tackle uninsured driving.
On dedicated enforcement days officers from the Roads Crime Unit have been patrolling the region’s roads using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology to identify vehicles being driven without insurance and take appropriate enforcement action.
Supported by funding from the MIB, the officers have focussed on postal areas with high levels of uninsured driving, identified through uninsured collision claims data. This has led to the seizure of 14 vehicles under Op Scalis.
Issues have been found with the vehicles stopped, including a newly licensed driver who passed in April had his insurance cancelled due to non-compliance with telematics, a disqualified driver was found to be driving with invalid insurance and a recovery truck was seized after its driver used a personal motor trade policy outside its permitted conditions.
Between 1st and 25th November North Wales Police have seized 136 vehicles under Section 165.
Sergeant Alun Jones of North Wales Police’s Roads Crime Unit who is leading on the initiative said: “Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads remains our priority and removing uninsured drivers from our roads helps to do just that. We're pleased to be part of the MIB's Operation Scalis - a proactive ANPR initiative that enhances road safety and reduces the financial impact on law abiding motorists across North Wales.
“Of course, we patrol the roads of North Wales 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will deal with whatever we come across – this is about keeping everyone safe on the roads. We know there is a clear link between uninsured drivers and criminality and operations like these have an important part to play in making our roads safer for all.
“Whilst the primary target is uninsured vehicles, any additional criminal activity discovered is also addressed – we’ve already seen offences such as drug driving, driving whilst disqualified, possession of drugs and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
“We understand that sometimes genuine mistakes can happen when it comes to insurance policies, however drivers need to take personal responsibility and before getting behind the wheel, to check their policy and make sure they are fully insured before commencing on their journey.”
In conjunction with enforcement, Operation Scalis also seeks to educate drivers about the serious consequences of driving without insurance. These include:
A £300 fixed penalty fine
Six penalty points, which can lead to automatic disqualification for new drivers
Vehicle seizure and potential destruction
Unlimited fines and driving bans via court referral
£1,000 average increase in future insurance premiums
Sergeant Jones added: “Our message is simple, if driving uninsured, be prepared to have your vehicle seized and face significant fines and points on your licence.”
To check if your vehicle is insured, visit Navigate, the central record of all live insurance policies run by MIB - www.checkyourvehicle.org.uk.
