Licence to drive on...

Rochdale Magistrates Court closed last year and Rochdale cases are now heard at Bury Magistrates Court. However, errant motorists may be wishing their case be heard in another neighbouring town, because Oldham has the second highest percentage of drivers in Great Britain still allowed to drive despite having 12 penalty points on their licence.

A survey of DVLA data by the Co-operative Motor Group revealed almost 9,000 motorists countrywide have beaten a driving ban despite having amassed maximum points.

The figures, taken at the end of March, were weighted to take into account the number of registered drivers in each area.

In Oldham there were 59 such drivers out of 108,489 registered drivers. Only Blackpool was worse in percentage terms with 51 offenders out of 74,065 registered drivers. Manchester was third with 255 out of 510,832 registered drivers.

Only one southern town or city — Peterborough — features in the top 15.

Drivers who build up 12 or more penalty points within a period of three years are liable to be disqualified under the ‘totting-up’ system.

The DVLA said in a small percentage of cases the courts are able to use their discretion when disqualification would cause exceptional hardship.