An end of the car tax disc?

An end of the car tax disc?

A proposal to can the car tax disc is currently under consideration by the government, according to documents published by the Department for Transport last week.

Despite being an embellishment on vehicle windscreens in the UK since 1920, the tax disc may be going the way of mail and paper statements, and be replaced with an online version. At the moment, accessing DVLA databases does not instantly give information about a vehicle's tax information, which means the tax disc is the only initial proof that can be used for verification. Stephen Hammond, the Minister for Roads, interested in utilising more computer technology, has commented: "We will remove the need for unnecessary paper, including abolishing the driving licence counterpart and consider the continuing need for the tax disc."

Also as part of the documents released, are details about possible reformation of agencies such as the DVLA, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), and the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). It is thought that this would mean an end to unnecessary vehicle paperwork altogether, and bring everything (tax information, MOT information, paper driving licence etc) online. Edmund King, the president of the AA, commented: "Motoring and vehicle information is increasingly going online... The police use number-plate reading camera technology to check car details on their own or on the DVLA's database."

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