Drivers are doing simple thing to make their cars ‘invisible’ to speed cameras

'Ghost plates', also known as 3D or 4D plates, are illegal

11:43, 01 May 2025Updated 11:54, 01 May 2025

Motorists are being warned about the use of 'ghost plates' to evade speed cameras, effectively making their vehicles invisible.

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These illegal devices, also known as 3D or 4D plates, work by reflecting camera flashes.

Two years ago, it was revealed that roughly one in 15 drivers were easily outwitting the system. This statistic was made public by Professor Fraser Sampson, who was overseeing our national Automatic Number Plate Recognition system at the time.

Upon leaving his post, Professor Sampson penned a letter to Transport Secretary Mark Harper expressing his disappointment over the lack of action taken against these illegal plates. In response to this issue, councils have been equipped with new cameras capable of detecting these plates.

As part of a rigorous enforcement campaign last year, local wardens in Wolverhampton were given access to this advanced technology.

Those found guilty can expect a GBP100 fine for such violations.

In his letter to Mark Harper, Prof Sampson explained how individuals were dodging fines by cloning number plates, applying reflective tape, and purchasing 'stealth plates', thereby avoiding penalties for speeding or entering low-emission zones, reports Nottinghamshire Live[3].

He highlighted that there is only a 97 per cent accuracy rate in reading number plates, leading to a staggering 2.4 million incorrect readings each day and resulting in wrongful fines for innocent motorists.

He highlighted that around 15,400 traffic lanes equipped with camera surveillance yield approximately 75 to 80 million reads each day, sometimes exceeding 80 million.

Prof Sampson suggested these figures might soar to 100 million daily reads by the end of 2024.

Addressing the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) system's critical role and complexity, Prof Sampson underscored its weak points, stating: "For all its technological advancement and operational indispensability, the ANPR system still relies ultimately on a piece of plastic affixed to either end of a vehicle."

Concerns were raised about the unregulated market serving the number plate industry by the professor.

He claimed this poses a risk to the ANPR network's integrity, explaining: "Served by a wholly unregulated market, what my predecessor termed the humble number plate represents a single and readily assailable point of failure with the ANPR network being easily defeated by the manufacture and sale of stealth plates, cloned registration marks and other rudimentary obscurant tactics."

He further indicated the simplicity with which the ANPR system can be frustrated is alarming, especially as it plays an increasingly vital role in crucial services such as policing, law enforcement, and traffic management.

Prof Sampson has highlighted the growing temptation for drivers to trick ANPR systems amidst new traffic regulations, stating: "Emission zones and other strategic traffic enforcement schemes put motorists in situations where they have to make significant financial choices and it is at least arguable that the incentives for some to 'game' the ANPR systems have never been greater."

He explained how simple measures can outsmart current technology: "Merely by applying reflective tape to distort part of a registration plate or purchasing stealth plates from online vendors, motorists can confuse and confound current number plate recognition technology and both of these are easily obtainable."

Furthermore, he pointed out the potential scale of the issue: "One recent estimate suggested that one in fifteen drivers may already be using anti-ANPR technology; it is reasonable to expect this conduct to increase as the reliance on ANPR for new traffic management schemes continues."

References

1. ^ News (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^ Pete Gavan (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
3. ^ Nottinghamshire Live (www.nottinghampost.com)