Why Unity5 and Councils across the UK are backing NPED and the Drive Legal campaign

The National Persistent Evader Database (NPED) founded by Alan Wood, is becoming a game-changer for local authorities across the United Kingdom. Its mission is to help councils proactively identify repeat offenders, stop wasted enforcement efforts, and prevent uncollected debt from piling up.

By centralising data on vehicles that consistently evade parking fines, carry clone number plates, or have no MOT or insurance, NPED allows councils to make smarter decisions about how to handle nuisance vehicles.

Key Objectives:

• To reduce the need for enforcement activity and demand on enforcement resources
• Increase vehicle use compliance rates
• Reduce wasted processing and court costs for issuing authorities
• Improve the capability to effectively identify and deal with persistent evaders
• Generate a significant information advantage for local authorities, police, and central government
• Better understand the scale and impact of the persistent evader challenge
• Identify the worst vehicle use offenders and deliver effective enforcement and compliance interventions
• Deliver a single trusted source of offending vehicle use behaviour data
• Ensure social value is encapsulated throughout all our activities

The Benefits of implementing NPED

The database serves as a powerful tool for crime prevention. The research behind NPED found that people who acquire multiple penalty notices are often linked to other non-compliant and even criminal vehicle behaviour. By flagging these vehicles, the system can help law enforcement identify cars being used for other criminal activities and deal with them swiftly.

Above: Alan Wood (left) had the opportunity to meet with Transport Minister Lillian Greenwood (right) at Parkex 2025 and shared the vital work NPED has been doing to expose the true state of the vehicle community.

Best of all, NPED is cost-free to implement and license, with no procurement needed. This removes any barriers to entry, making it an easy choice for councils looking to enhance their enforcement efficiency and tackle problem vehicles more effectively.

Drive Legal

NPED Services Ltd has launched Drive Legal, a nationwide campaign to combat the growing threat of vehicle non-compliance on UK roads. The campaign calls on the public, parking operators, and organisations across sectors to unite for safer, fairer roads usage.

Millions of non-compliant vehicles are slipping through the cracks of enforcement, so Drive Legal highlights a truly national issue that is undermining road safety, public confidence, and the rights of law-abiding motorists. This unchecked problem fuels crime, burdens public resources, and compromises the integrity of the UK’s road network.

“We’re standing up for the motorists who follow the rules, and we’re demanding smarter enforcement and stronger regulation from those in power.” Said NPED CEO Alan Wood.

Drive Legal Stands For:

• Revealing the true scale of vehicle non-compliance in the UK
• Building a united coalition for reform
• Advocating for new legislation that protects law-abiding road users and keeps criminals off our roads

Unity5 is proud to support NPED Founder and CEO Alan Wood and his Drive Legal campaign. He is at the forefront of driving critical legislative change, attending Parliament this year in relation to the panel discussion on tackling ghost plates, hosted by Sarah Coombes MP in collaboration with the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association.

“The use of ghost plates is a growing problem along with other road use compliance issues such as number plate cloning, deregistering from the DVLA the list goes on.” said Alan.

NPED have been lobbying for the adoption of the Vehicle Compliance Management Act – VCMA as a self-funding solution to this hidden menace. Taking place in the Jubilee Room, at the Palace of Westminster, the important session highlighted the urgent need for new powers to combat the growing threat posed by ghost plates and non-compliant vehicle number plates.

Mark Wilson, CEO at Unity5 said “We’re pleased to support Alan on such an important mission. It’s truly great to see that NPED is making real progress, especially through their undoubted commitment to working collaboratively with key stakeholders. They’ll be helping more and more of our customers, UK councils, to build a more connected, safer, and cleaner future for road users and communities.”

For more information about the National Persistent Evaders Database click here