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British drivers will face extra checks when renting cars and vans to ensure they are not extremists in the wake of a string of deadly terror attacks using vehicles.

Ministers are ordering the crackdown amid growing concern over how easily extremists are renting vehicles and using them to mow down pedestrians in attacks.

It comes after 14 people were killed when terrorists ploughed into passersby in Barcelona and seaside town of Cambrils on Thursday.

This year in the UK, vehicles have been at the centre of deadly attacks on Westminster, London Bridge and Finsbury Park.

Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 18 show all Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks 1/18 Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA 2/18 Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP 3/18 Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP 4/18 A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images 5/18 A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images 6/18 Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images 7/18 Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images 8/18 Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP 9/18 The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA 10/18 Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA 11/18 Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP 12/18 An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP 13/18 Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP 14/18 Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA 15/18 Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA 16/18 Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP 17/18 Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP 18/18 A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images 1/18 Spanish policemen patrol the streets after five terrorists were shot dead in the seaside resort of Cambrils EPA 2/18 Forensic police officers at the scene in Cambrils where suspects were shot dead AFP 3/18 Police officers stand next to the van involved on an attack in La Ramblas in Barcelona AP 4/18 A woman displays a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona AFP/Getty Images 5/18 A woman lights a candle next to first flowers and a message to the victims on August 18, 2017 on the spot where yesterday a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 100 on the Rambla boulevard in Barcelona. AFP/Getty Images 6/18 Police officers check the area after towing away the van which ploughed into the crowd, killing at least 13 people and injuring around 100 others on the Rambla in Barcelona, on August 18, 2017 AFP/Getty Images 7/18 Armed police stand in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, injuring several persons on the Rambla in Barcelona on August 17, 2017 AFP/Getty Images 8/18 Armed police officers patrol a deserted street in Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, on Friday morning. AP 9/18 The terrorists car, which flipped after crashing at the scene in Cambrils, before the occupants were shot dead EPA 10/18 Injured people after a van crashed into pedestrians in a terror attack in Las Ramblas, Barcelona EPA 11/18 Terror attack: Paramedics treat the injured in Barcelona AP 12/18 An injured person is carried in Barcelona, Spain, AP 13/18 Police direct crowds on Las Ramblas AP 14/18 Paramedics treat victims injured when a van ploughed into pedestrians in Barcelona EPA 15/18 Onlookers flee the scene of the terror rampage in Barcelona EPA 16/18 Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP 17/18 Police officers cordon off a street in Barcelona, Spain after a van mowed down pedestrians in a terror attack AP 18/18 A person is stretched out of a mall by medical staff members in a cordoned off area near Las Ramblas AFP/Getty Images

The incidents sparked suggestions van rental could be subject to more stringent checks, while officers appealed for vehicle hire and haulage firms with suspicions about rental attempts to come forward.

Ministers are proposing rental companies share drivers' data with the Government so it could be checked against a terror watch list before a vehicle is released for hire.

Toby Poston, director of external relations at the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), told the Sunday Telegraph: "The industry is looking at ways to share data with the authorities in as real time as possible so it can be cross-referenced with counter-terrorism watch lists."

A Government spokeswoman confirmed that the Department for Transport is working with the police and the vehicle rental industry to look at tightening up regulations.

"The threat from terrorism is changing and so must our response," she said.

"That is why we are reviewing our counter-terrorism strategy and powers and why we have ploughed extra resources into counter-terrorism.

"The Department for Transport is also working with the police and the vehicle rental industry to explore what more can be done to prevent the malicious use of hire vehicles.

"This includes looking at what more rental companies could do before an individual can hire a vehicle."

The potential for large vehicles to inflict mass casualties was laid bare in horrifying fashion in July last year when a lorry drove through crowds gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice, killing 86 people and injuring scores of others.

Then in December 2016, an attacker drove a lorry into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 12 people.

In June, eight people were killed when terrorists mowed down pedestrians and went on a stabbing rampage in Borough Market.

Khuram Butt, the ringleader of the London Bridge terror gang, had attempted to hire a 7.5-tonne lorry hours before the attack.

However, his payment method failed so he resorted to "plan B" and rented a white van which ploughed into pedestrians as the perpetrators launched their deadly rampage.

UK authorities have also been looking closely at physical security measures.

Earlier this year, police announced plans to step up the use of the National Barrier Asset - a collection of temporary equipment including security fences and gates - to protect crowded events.

Scotland Yard reviewed the security of 33 bridges around the capital and a number were fitted with barriers designed for "hostile vehicle mitigation".

Guidance for armed police has also been tweaked.

Previously, firearms officers had the option of shooting at a moving vehicle, but this was discouraged as it was felt it could increase the risk to the public.

But the guidance has been revised so that firing at a car, van or lorry when it is on the move is an accepted tactic for incidents such as those seen in Nice and Westminster.

Containing the threat posed by "low-tech" attack methods such as the use of knives or vehicles is one of the major challenges for security services as they attempt to stop Islamic State-directed or inspired plots.