Police on both sides of the Border are to exchange data on vehicle ownership in an effort to tackle on toll evaders and parking offenders.
The data exchange scheme, which comes into force today, is aimed at facilitating better enforcement of parking fines and toll charges for motorists travelling between both jurisdictions.
The pilot project, which will be run until November, was today hailed by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey as “another important step in road safety and traffic enforcement”.
“Data relating to vehicle ownership will be exchanged for the purpose of traffic law enforcement, including parking offences and toll evasion,” Mr Dempsey said.
“It is an indication of the close levels of co-operation on this project between our colleagues in the UK and Northern Ireland that we have successfully overcome potential considerable difficulties regarding data privacy and security issues in the pursuit of cross-Border traffic offenders,” Mr Dempsey said.
The data will be transferred using the highest level of security and will be monitored in each jurisdiction through an agreed audit regime.
The North’s minister for regional development, Conor Murphy, said: “It is important that all road users adhere to parking and traffic restrictions.”
“Parking control is an essential part of traffic management and road safety wherever you live on this island and this new measure will strengthen enforcement.
Illegal parking leads to congested roads, blocked accesses and frustrated drivers. No-one wants to get a parking ticket and I would again urge drivers to park properly and have a thought for other motorists and pedestrians.”