SNAPPED & SHAMED: The uninsured drivers stopped by police in Peterborough and surrounding area in past week

Figures from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) show there are an estimated 5,301 uninsured vehicles in the city - meaning 1.84 per cent of cars are not inured. Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing unit has caught numerous motorists in Peterborough this week driving uninsured or without a full licence.

While there are thousands of drivers who are not insured in Peterborough, hundreds are being caught by police. Cambridgeshire Police said there were 506 tickets issued for drivers without insurance in Peterborough between January and October 2016.

Cambridge, which was second on the list, had just 160 tickets issued in the same period.

Neil Drane, head of enforcement services at the MIB, said: “Ultimately the bill for uninsured driving is paid by all honest motorists who fund the compensation for thousands of victims each year who are involved in accidents caused by uninsured drivers.

“Working in partnership with insurers, police and DVLA, the level of uninsured driving has dropped by some 50 per cent in the last 10 years from 2 million to 1 million. However this figure is still too high and we are dedicated to bringing it down further.”

The MIB said the PE1 postcode was the worst for uninsured drivers in the city - and was ranked as the 33rd worst in the country.

Jon Morris, casualty reduction officer for Cambridgeshire police, said; “Peterborough does have a high rate of uninsured drivers - but it is unclear why. We do tend to find in a number of cases it is because of financial issues - so we may also find there are issues with the upkeep of the car, for example.

“People not paying insurance has a direct impact on other drivers - their premiums go up. “We are tackling the issue, as the figures for the number of tickets handed out proves. All our traffic cars have ANPR cameras which will detect people not paying insurance.”

Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya said: “It is of great concern especially considering that people who are responsible guarantee they are appropriately covered. Unless more resources are put into policing, it’s likely that it’s going to be more difficult to enforce against uninsured drivers.”.