DRIVERS caught using hand-held mobile phones will face tougher punishment from February 27.

The fixed fine will double from £30 to £60 and three penalty points will be slapped on licences for the first time.

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said the move reflected the serious danger caused by the offence.

Mr Alexander insisted there had been a "groundswell" of public support for the law since its introduction in 2003 - but 21% of motorists still admitted breaking it.

He added: "Research shows that talking on a mobile phone while driving affects your concentration and ability to react to dangerous situations.

"It's impossible to do the two things at once."

A TV, radio and internet campaign to highlight the dangers of driving while using a phone was also launched today.

Home Office figures for 2004 show that nearly 74,000 fixed penalty notices were handed out for illegal use of a mobile phone while driving.

If the police or the motorist chooses to go to court rather than pay the fixed penalty, the maximum fine is £1000 for car offences and £2500 for vans, lorries, buses and coaches.

However, research by the LibDems has suggested only around 1% of offenders are caught.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "Far too many motorists have been ignoring the mobile phone law and risking their own lives and those of others on the roads around them.

"We believe that the threat of points on a licence and an increased fine will give this legislation new teeth.

"Irresponsible people who think their call is more important than someone's life are likely to take the threat to their licence more seriously."