This summer has seen the introduction of the Continuous Insurance Enforcement law, making it an offence to own an uninsured vehicle.

It is perhaps too early to tell what effect this legislation will have on the high numbers of uninsured drivers in Bradford, but in the meantime they are continuing to cause huge losses for insurance companies – and law-abiding motorists are paying the price.

Bradford taxi drivers have become the latest casualties of soaring car insurance costs.

Next month, a summit at City Hall – to be attended by representatives of insurance companies, the police and motorists – will look at possible solutions to spiralling costs.

Bradford East MP David Ward, who is holding the summit, has been inundated with calls from people angry about rising insurance costs following a recent T&A report that one of his constituents, Dennis Nunn, was quoted £26,000 to cover his 17-year-old’s £700 car for third party, fire and theft cover.

Going through price-comparison websites, Mr Nunn found the cheapest car insurance quote at £9,000 and the highest a staggering £26,000. The family lives in the BD2 postcode area, which includes Eccleshill, Undercliffe, Fagley and Bolton, and has more than twice the national average of uninsured motorists.

Insurance company Esure recently said it wouldn’t take on any new drivers in the BD2 and BD3 areas as it was paying out twice as much in claims as it was getting in premiums.

The Telegraph & Argus has reported Bradford as the second-most expensive place in the UK for car insurance, with premiums rising by more than 20 per cent.

In 2009, police seized more than 100 cars in a crackdown on uninsured motorists. Also in 2009, Barkerend was named by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau as having the country’s highest rate of uninsured drivers, and last year the area was named as one of the top five hotspots for uninsured drivers.

Cabbies are the latest law-abiding motorists to suffer in what is fast becoming a no-go area for car insurance companies.

Shabir Munir, of the Bradford Hackney Carriage Drivers’ Association, says the days of insurance companies “bending over backwards” for business have gone in Bradford.

He claims soaring insurance costs are forcing taxi drivers out of business, with some drivers’ premiums more than doubling in a year, leading to costs of thousands. He says several drivers are considering quitting the business.

“Unless you work 20 hours a day you are barely making enough to live on,” said Mr Munir, who is calling for stronger legislation, to crack down on uninsured drivers and fraudulent claims.

Mr Ward has tabled a Parliamentary motion calling on the Government to act to bring costs down. He also wants the Government to make it illegal for insurers to sell claims details to personal injury lawyers.

“All these things are combining to make insurance unaffordable for many people,” said Mr Ward. “It has a knock-on effect; if taxi drivers can’t pay the premiums they’ll put their prices up or go out of business.

“People who haven’t made a claim for 30 years are being refused insurance, and many responsible drivers have seen their premiums go through the roof just because of their postcode.”

Mr Ward said possible solutions included looking at whether current fines are a deterrent, and considering other ways of cracking down on the uninsured.

The MP urged Bradford people to fill in a car insurance survey on his website – survey.

libdems.org.uk/take/915 – so he can use the information to take “the strongest possible case for action to the Government”.

Motorist Sian Carling welcomed the summit. She blames her Undercliffe postcode for an insurance renewal quote that is double the amount she has been paying.

“I have no claims, my licence is clean and I’m 30,” she said. “Why should I suffer because other drivers aren’t insured? Something needs to be done to tackle this.

“Every day I see young lads at the wheel of fast, highly-expensive cars – there’s no way they can afford the insurance yet they’re racing all over Bradford. Why don’t the police do spot-checks?”

She added: “Running a car is already expensive, with fuel, car tax, MOT and maintenance costs – then we’re expected to pay astronomical insurance fees. Law-abiding drivers suffer, while the uninsured get away with it.”