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[Terbs]

hi all.....as title,

How long can you have a car in this country with foreign plates.

Speed cameras in the back of police vans, do they/can they... do you when coming at them, or going away from them.

Sorry totally different, but it saves paper

[Sir Tigger KC]

1) 3 months I think, but probably routinely ignored. 

2) Hope not as I passed a Police car yesterday coming the other way.  I was doing about 38.... in a 30. 

[05omegav6]

I think it's six months, same as licence in any case... noticed alot of right-hand drive cars with eastern european plates on... suspect they simply swap the plate off whatever pos they arrive in 

Both

Depends on the vehicle, what system and how it's being used... if operator outside with a tripod likely only one way, but nothing to stop the van having two or more cameras in use Sorry Sir Tigger...

[Varche]

Terb

don't know the answer to your first question. I do know that the subject comes up regularly in reverse on Expat forums. i.e. how long can I keep a Brit reg car in Spain . Typically the answer is complicated. If you are resident in Spain you have to start proceedings to put it on Spanish plates after 90 days. That involves it ceasing to be on DVLA records and having a Spanish log book, Spanish MOT, insurance and tax. A non resident can keep the car in Spain indefinitely on UK plates so long as it is not used for more than 6 months in a year and has a valid UK tax and MOT and of course insurance. A Spanish MOT is not acceptable so you would have no option but to take it back to the UK for an MOT.

What used to happen was Brits came over and just kept on driving their car often without an MOT, insurance or tax of course. How could the local police know? Once in that situation is was difficult to get out. You could only get the vehicle back to and into the Uk on a transporter for about £500. Well now they have got smart and under an Eu initiative they have had access to online and mobile UK databases. Still not foolproof as you could clone a car.

Similarly in the Uk the police just did a multi national exercise in the South East (most common entry and exit point for vehicles) to clamp down on foreign offenders. There they had access to other countries databases.

On a peronal note, I think that if the Eu is serious about the free movement of people then they should be able to take their cars with them without re registering so long as they were kept legal. Don't forget that in most countries re registering actually costs real money- maybe 4% of the value. The police should just have access to the relevant databases

[Varche]

I think it's six months, same as licence in any case... noticed alot of right-hand drive cars with eastern european plates on... suspect they simply swap the plate off whatever pos they arrive in 

Both

Depends on the vehicle, what system and how it's being used... if operator outside with a tripod likely only one way, but nothing to stop the van having two or more cameras in use Sorry Sir Tigger...

Driving licence? If it is a credit card size with photo , you can continue using it for its validity in Spain. That could be up to ten years. I suspect the same rules apply in the reverse in the UK.

[Terbs]

That's very interesting, Varche

So someone from an Eastern European country who works over here, but goes home regularly,  are they classed as residents.
So, looking at the replies, if this person went back regularly, does that mean the car can stay as EU registered, or because it will spend more time in the UK than abroad, it has to be UK registered.

[Terbs]

As regards the camera...
Swmbo passed a parked police van, which was facing her as she approached it, admits she may have been going slightly over 30, but not a lot. Did not realise it was a camera van. On the way back, she had cruise control on and saw it was a camera van, but was within the 30 limit.

[Varche]

That's very interesting, Varche

So someone from an Eastern European country who works over here, but goes home regularly,  are they classed as residents.
So, looking at the replies, if this person went back regularly, does that mean the car can stay as EU registered, or because it will spend more time in the UK than abroad, it has to be UK registered.

Again not such a straight forward question. Simple answer is you are resident where you pay tax- usually your main place of interest. That could be where your wife and children live, where you keep your possessions you don't take to where you go to work. In Spain if you live there six months or more then that is where you pay tax on your worldwide income. In Britain it is as little as 90 days. All not easy to police unless the authorities are actually looking at you.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

A foreign plated vehicle must be UK registered and have British tax paid if in the country for six months in any 12 month period.

ANPR camera vans will have cameras operational in all directions, but the speed cameras will usually be pointed through the rear of the vehicle.

 

[The Sheriff]

As regards the camera...
Swmbo passed a parked police van, which was facing her as she approached it, admits she may have been going slightly over 30, but not a lot. Did not realise it was a camera van. On the way back, she had cruise control on and saw it was a camera van, but was within the 30 limit.

Slightly over 30 is no problem. 36 or 37 might be. I have passed them at around 35 and never heard anything.

[Terbs]

Great feedback, all.

Lizzie, so I read your your post as.....if the vehicle is physically in the UK for a total of six months, irrespective of how long the stays are, if that amounts to 183 days over the course of twelve months, the vehicle should be UK registered. Or do you mean a consecutive six months during the twelve months

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Great feedback, all.

Lizzie, so I read your your post as.....if the vehicle is physically in the UK for a total of six months, irrespective of how long the stays are, if that amounts to 183 days over the course of twelve months, the vehicle should be UK registered. Or do you mean a consecutive six months during the twelve months

The latter terbert

[SteveAvfc.]

Got caught last year 47 in a 40 by a camera van was going in the opposite direction. £80.00 and a afternoon of work on a coarse. Barstewards. 

[Broomies Mate]

I too have been raped by the feds in a van.  I spotted it early on, but as they were on the opposite carriageway, I thought nothing of it.

A4174 Avon Ring Road, Dual Carriageway, and it's a bloody 50 limit (in places).  I got done at 68MPH.

So yeah, at least in my experience, they work in both directions. The bastards.

[cleggy]

Foreign plates!  Hmmm, now there's an idea.

ANPR and speed cameras become irrelevant.