THE government should sell off high valued vehicles impounded because their owners won't pay their car tax, and the money could pay for local road improvements, Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has suggested.

Currently, impounded cars are crushed.

Last year three Porsches, 40 Mercedes and a number of other luxury vehicles, among 10,205 vehicles impounded for having no road tax, were never claimed by their owners.

Mr Prentice said: "I am a strong supporter of tackling road tax dodgers. "I have always strongly supported the crushing of such vehicles, but it does occur to me if such high value cars are being seized, there could be a better way. "They could be sold off at auction to raise money to pay for improvements to roads, junctions and road safety in the locality.

"If they were sold off and the money passed to the local authority, it could help pay for vital projects that would otherwise not be done.

"Therefore there would be value to the local community from the vehicles impounded."