Highways Voices 13 September - the National Persistent Evader Database with Alan Wood

On Monday we broke the news that the final legal paperwork for the National Persistent Evader Database has been completed and a trial of the solution can now begin in and around London.

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But what is NPED? This week on Highways Voices we hear from founder Alan Wood, who explains how it’s “Santa’s naughty list, but for cars,” identifying vehicles sought for non-payment of parking tickets and linking them to other offences such as no MOT, insurance or vehicle excise duty.

“I guess it's nearly 15 years of what my partner described as mild curiosity that led to an unhealthy hobby,” Mr Wood explains. “It started with me as an enforcement agent travelling residential streets with automatic number plate recognition, looking for vehicles with unpaid warrants for parking offences, and it's only when doing that over a period of time finding vehicles with 20, 40, 50 or 100 warrants, it dawned on me that this was probably a behavioural flag for other things.”

It turned out to be, with him estimating that more than ten million vehicles are not complying with some sort of motoring law. Furthermore, legislation is not keeping up, so while the Police are able to prosecute offenders, they can be seen as not having the time or inclination, while local authorities do not have the powers.

“We've really started the push towards government for this situation to be corrected with new legislation,” he says, “Government needs to be ready for that, because I'm coming for them – I’m amassing my army of supporters.”

Although some of what Mr Wood says may annoy you because he reveals how many people are getting away with not paying their way, he may inspire you with a solution. Find out what you think on this week’s Highways Voices!