UK police forces will now receive monthly updates showing the latest details of suspected uninsured vehicles from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).

The information comes to the police from the motor insurance database, which is managed by the MIB and contains details of every insured vehicle in the country. Under new powers contained within the Serious Organised Crime Act, the MIB is now able to give the police regular updates of vehicles whose insurance policies have expired or been cancelled with no evidence of a replacement.

By downloading this data into their automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) networks, police officers can instantly identify suspect vehicles.

Police ANPR units in Bedfordshire and Sussex have been piloting use of the MIB's information since late November in order to test its effectiveness.

The same technology was used by five other forces in recent one-off operations to target vehicle-related crime.

Following these successful trials the MIB will now provide all other forces with similar data to make it quicker and easier to identify uninsured drivers.

"The new information we are supplying to every police force means that the likelihood of being caught while driving an uninsured vehicle is significantly increasing," said Ashton West, the Motor Insurers' Bureau chief executive.

"Furthermore, our close working relationship with DVLA and the police means that growing numbers of untaxed vehicles and unlicensed drivers are being identified. All across the UK, we are working together to drastically reduce the number of hiding places available to rogue drivers."