More than 100 offenders were caught out in the first hours of a new Government scheme to detect road tax cheats by camera.

The Stingray cameras read the number plates of passing motorists and check them against Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency records to see if vehicle excise duty has been paid.

The cameras recorded more than 100 "hits" on untaxed cars in the Old Brompton Road area of west London.

And in addition, more than 30 vehicles were clamped in other areas of west London.

"We're very pleased with the first day of the scheme," said a DVLA spokeswoman today.

After the London launch, the scheme will be taken to the Home Counties and eventually cover the UK.

Drivers found to have dodged the tax will be sent letters asking them to pay the back duty or face prosecution.

Launching the crackdown, Transport Minister David Jamieson said: "Road tax dodgers are now in the frame."

He said evaders "will soon realise that there is no place to hide. Honest motorists are fed up with seeing the hard core who continually evade paying their road tax.

"Camera technology will be brought to bear in targeting these evaders, who will realise that the penalties for evasion are much greater than the cost of a vehicle excise licence."

The cameras will be fitted in vans, which will operate from lay-bys and bridges in an effort to catch offenders.

They can read the number plates of vehicles travelling at more than 100mph.

Road tax cheats will face a fine of up to £1,000 for a car or motorcycle, and up to £23,000 for a heavy goods vehicle - plus backduty and costs.

Terry Barnard, head of enforcement for DVLA, said: "We are taking a hard line and stepping up our enforcement activity by introducing the Stingray cameras in a determined effort to clamp down on this irresponsible group who evade paying their road tax.

"Honest motorists are infuriated at having to subsidise road tax cheats and it is a constant source of resentment." The new cameras will act in tandem with the normal reporting of car tax dodgers by the police, traffic wardens and wheelclamping units.

The system was welcomed by the AA, who warned that further action was needed.

The organisation said drivers of untaxed cars tended not to have insurance cover or an MoT certificate and called for the checking system to be updated.

Paul Watters, the AA's head of roads and transport, said: "While we support the scheme, we are concerned that despite the best intentions of the authorities, some motorists slip through the net."