A CAMPAIGN to always ban drivers with 12 points on their licence is gathering momentum.

Julie Hilling, MP for Bolton West, launched the campaign with road safety charity Brake after The Bolton News revealed figures from a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

It showed 66 drivers in the town were still on the roads despite receiving more than 12 points on their licences — which should result in an automatic ban.

Ms Hilling said: “I am still campaigning for something to be done. The magistrates sent a letter blaming the DVLA saying they aren’t getting their facts quite right.

“It is crackers as some drivers with 12 points are going through by accident, but there is a real question about how many are going through deliberately when people have a lawyer to come and plead their case.

“I am still battling on.”

She has now written to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke calling for a meeting to address her concerns about delays.

Ms Hilling said: “It is time for ministers to act to prevent further deaths and serious road accidents through dangerous driving. Dangerous driving is a major issue throughout the borough, as well as the entire country, and needs tough new measures to tackle the problem.”

Brake and insurance company Direct Line analysed data provided by the DVLA and found that 10,072 drivers across the UK whose law-breaking totted up 12 points or more have kept their licence — 1,784 of those were from the North West.

Some of the offences the included driving without insurance, using a phone at the wheel and speeding.

Drivers can expect a ban of at least six months when they reach 12 points, but many are successfully pleading being disqualified would cause “exceptional hardship” and allowed to keep their licence.