Ghost plates, cloned plates and missing plates are undermining traffic enforcement across England. A new national policing centre now coordinates efforts to tackle these issues.
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced funding on 5 September for the National Roads Policing Coordination Centre (NRPCC). It brings police forces together to target illegal number plates.
How the centre operates
The NRPCC shares intelligence and improves data use across forces. It works alongside the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). These agencies support roadside operations and investigations into illegal plate suppliers.
The centre is also trialling specialised goggles to detect plates made deliberately unreadable by transparent film or alterations.
Why the plate matters
A number plate is the first link in a chain. Cameras read the plate, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems match it to vehicle records, and penalties can then be applied.
Illegal plates disrupt this process. Altered, obscured or missing plates make it difficult for officers or cameras to identify vehicles for speeding, parking or clean air zone offences.
The impact on enforcement
The DfT says such plates are increasingly used to evade penalties and by organised crime groups. Stolen vehicles or those involved in serious crime can go undetected.
For councils and contractors relying on camera enforcement, the legibility of number plates is crucial. Cheshire East’s ANPR enforcement deal, for example, requires readable plates as much as accurate cameras.
Legal and policing response
The DfT is reviewing laws around number plates. It has consulted on penalty points and vehicle seizure for drivers using altered or false plates. It is also reviewing number plate standards.
Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones described illegal plates as "not a victimless offence." Roads Minister Justin Madders highlighted the new policing resources and technology in tackling the problem.
Chief Superintendent Marc Clothier, Deputy National Coordinator at the NRPCC, said the centre aims to improve consistency and collaboration between forces and government. This coordination is vital because the problem spreads across force borders.
