Friday February 6th 2026
DVLA's new 'Nobody Wins' campaign character, 'Clampy'.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has launched a new national Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) campaign, ‘Nobody Wins’, reminding motorists of the importance of taxing their vehicles on time with Edinburgh being revealed as in the top 10 UK cities for the most clamped vehicles of 2025.
Including DVLA’s Devolved Power Partners, the licensing agencies enforcement teams clamped 2,997 vehicles in Edinburgh last year, making the capital the 8th highest city for clamped vehicles.
The most recent statistics estimate that 98.7% of vehicles used on the road are taxed. DVLA can take enforcement action directly from their records if you are the keeper of an untaxed vehicle.
DVLA’s enforcement teams and wheelclamping partners travel across the UK as part of their day-to-day activity taking action against untaxed vehicles. Some local authorities and police forces can also clamp vehicles under DVLA’s Devolved Power Partner scheme.
The new ‘Nobody Wins’ campaign, aiming to remind motorists to tax their vehicles, introduces a creative concept led by ‘Clampy’, a down-on-his-luck wheel clamp. The ads focus is on the disruption and consequences felt by drivers who have their vehicle clamped for failing to tax it.
By giving ‘Clampy’ a personality, the campaign aims to display a humorous side whilst showing the real frustration of being clamped.
The UK Government explained that the campaign’s ‘message is simple’, aiming to show that it is ‘quick and easy to tax your vehicle online’.
The campaign will run across outdoor, audio and online channels until 31 March 2026.
A table released showed Edinburgh in the top 10 cities where some of the highest numbers of clamping took place in 2025, placing the capital 8th.
Full table of top 10 total vehicles clamped in 2025 by UK city:
– London (all postcodes): 16,557
– Manchester (M): 9,174
– Birmingham (B): 7,369
– Cardiff (CF): 4,213
– Glasgow (G): 4,207
– Bristol (BS): 3,736
– Belfast (BT): 3,017
– Edinburgh (EH): 2,997
– Rochester (ME): 2,882
– Sheffield (S): 2,663
DVLA Chief Executive, Tim Moss CBE, explained:
“Most drivers keep their vehicle tax up to date, but if you don’t tax your vehicle on time the consequences can be significant. We remind motorists when their vehicle tax is due and only clamp untaxed vehicles as a last resort.
“Having your vehicle clamped is avoidable, as taxing your vehicle is quick and easy to do. You can also pay by Direct Debit, which helps make sure you stay on top of renewals and lets you spread the cost if you want to.”
Motorists can tax their vehicle at any time using DVLA’s online service or by calling 0300 123 4321 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They can also choose to receive vehicle tax reminders by text or email through DVLA’s Driver and vehicles account.
Tweet Share on Facebook
