RETAIL Motor Industry Federation president Sue Brownson has called for the Government to stamp out clocking with the introduction of the compulsory recording of vehicle mileages on V5 registration documents.

At the RMI's annual dinner in London, and in the presence of principal speaker, Education Secretary Gillian Shepherd and a number of MPs, Brownson described clocking, which is costing the motor industry more than £100 million a year, as the 'scourge' of the UK motor industry. She said: 'The RMI will campaign vigorously to extend the recording of mileage at every opportunity. This will make it increasingly difficult for those on the fringes of our trade to carry out that illegal business.'

The call was immediately backed at the dinner by Norman Donkin, secretary general of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, which in conjunction with Vehicle Mileage Checks has established its own vehicle mileage recording database for vehicles operated by rental and leasing companies.

Brownson added that the 'clocking problem' threatened to undermine the retail motor industry but, she claimed, research showed that more than 70% of offences were carried out on cars before they entered the trade.