Untaxed bikes to be auctioned instead of scrapped

THE GOVERNMENT announced today that quality bikes seized on behalf of the DVLA for road tax evasion will no longer be automatically scrapped, but will be auctioned off instead.

NSL Ltd seizes more than 100,000 untaxed vehicles every year. They are held at impound yards around the UK for up to 14 days. Until now, all vehicles that are not claimed within that time have been sent to the crusher, regardless of their value.

Following a successful eight-month trial, Newport Auctions, an independent auction house in south Wales, has now scooped the nationwide contract to save the most valuable vehicles from the scrap heap.

Starting on Tuesday 7 July, the fortnightly auction will feature approximately 150 of their most valuable cars, motorbikes and commercial vehicles.

Jon Collingbourne, managing director for Newport Auctions, says that this will be great news for those who cannot afford a new bike, and a real shot in the arm for the UK’s used bike market.

“When we started the trial last year, we didn’t know what to expect. Since then, we have been staggered at the quality and variety of the stock available to us,” he says.

“We have access to all makes and models, and the majority of stock is clean, tidy and less than eight years old. Each vehicle is fully valeted and supplied with a V5 document. The majority will also be supplied with a new set of keys.

“Obviously, many people cannot justify a trip all the way to Newport, so we have made everything available online. Our catalogues are updated continually with information and multiple photographs of each vehicle. People can review each vehicle in detail before placing an online bid.

“We do not want feed the problem of unlicensed bikes on the roads, so every successful bidder must provide us with full photographic and address identification, so that we can register the bike in their name before releasing it,” he says.

Tim Cowen, of NSL, commented: “There is no excuse for not taxing your vehicle, and we are delighted to be able to assist DVLA in clamping down on vehicle tax evasion.

“Some of the untaxed vehicles we seize are in very good condition, and we are very pleased to be working with Newport Auctions to help make these available to law-abiding motorists,” he says.

The first of the fortnightly auctions for seized vehicles will take place at 11am at Newport Auctions on 7 July, and then on alternate Tuesdays.

If you are interested in picking up a bargain, you can view the bikes and register bids online at www.newportauctions.co.uk. For further information, call Newport Auctions on: 01633 262626.