New police car boosts fight against uninsured driving across West Midlands
The fourth dual-branded police vehicle was supplied last week to West Midlands Police by MIB (Motor Insurers’ Bureau), to support the force’s ongoing work in collaboration with MIB to remove uninsured and inadequately insured drivers from roads across the West Midlands.
Special Constables within West Midlands Police are fully warranted volunteer officers with the same powers as regular officers, to stop and seize vehicles that appear to have no valid insurance. However, a limited amount of appropriate response cars being available can restrict their ability to act.
To support these officers, who generously volunteer their time to keeping roads safe, MIB has funded a dual‑branded Toyota Corolla. This dedicated car provided by MIB will help to give consistent vehicle access to officers so that they can tackle uninsured driving and make the West Midlands safer.
The car is fitted with in-built Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), which checks vehicle number plates against Navigate, MIB’s central record of insured vehicles in the UK, allowing officers quickly identify and stop suspected uninsured drivers.
West Midlands are the third police force to receive a dual‑branded MIB vehicle, following successful pilots with Avon and Somerset & Staffordshire Police in recent months which lead to over 200 uninsured vehicles being taken off our roads. The dual-branded car scheme has demonstrated the clear operational benefits of providing Special Constables with dedicated resources such as ANPR‑equipped cars, enabling them to carry out more frequent and targeted uninsured driving enforcement.
A formal handover ceremony took place at West Midlands Police's Road Crime Team base in Perry Barr on 12th August, and the vehicle is now in active use on targeted operations across the West Midlands. Immediately after the key handover, the vehicle joined an operation in the local area, assisting officers in the seizure of 21 uninsured vehicles in an operation straight after the key handover ceremony, as well as uncovering several secondary offences such as:
4 arrests for offences such as driving whilst disqualified, theft and possession of Class B drugs
19 cars with misrepresented registrations
10 cars with no valid road tax
5 cars with no MOT and 6 vehicles in an unroadworthy condition
Uninsured driving remains a persistent issue in the West Midlands. The force seized 8,153 uninsured vehicles in 2024, rising to 9,260 in 2025, demonstrating the continued importance of dedicated resources to tackle this offence.
As well as the running of the new ANPR-equipped police car, West Midlands Police aim to surpass their previous year’s seizure figures to further reduce the risk posed by uninsured vehicles by their continued involvement in the MIB-funded Op Scalis initiative. Op Scalis enables partaking forces to dedicate officer time to tackling uninsured driving in key hotspots across their region, identified through data-driven insights such as uninsured claims submitted to MIB.
Superintendent Jack Hadley, Head of Roads Policing at West Midlands Police said: “Keeping everyone safe on our roads and motorways is a priority for us and this fantastic donation by MIB will be a great addition to our fleet. Many of our Special Constables have day jobs and on top of that they volunteer their spare time to reduce crime and keep our roads safe.
“Our ongoing partnership with MIB to reduce serious and fatal collisions on our roads continues and this new addition will strengthen our continued work with them. Driving without insurance is reckless and dangerous and puts lives at risk every single day. If you’re driving uninsured, you’re not just risking your car - you’re risking lives, your future, and your freedom. Think before getting behind the wheel.”
Hayley Sutcliffe, Law Enforcement Liaison Officer at MIB, said: “We’re incredibly proud to support West Midland’s Special Constables with this dedicated ANPR‑equipped vehicle, allowing them to better focus on reducing uninsured driving. These volunteers give up their own time to help make our roads safer, and having reliable access to equipment will make a significant change to their ability to identify and remove uninsured vehicles.
“We hope the visibility of this new car encourages drivers to drive safely and double‑check their insurance policy to ensure they are insured and have the right cover for their needs. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this vehicle has on the local community and our ever-strengthening relationship with West Midlands Police.”