DVLA rakes in millions colluding with cowboys: Nearly 100 firms trying to buy drivers' details, official figures show
Critics alleged agency had divulged details of motorists to 'rogue firms'
Rise in requests from enforcement companies from 1.9m to 2.4m in a year
DVLA last year collected £6.7m from parking firms seeking personal detailsBy Stephen Wright
Published: 00:48, 30 July 2014 | Updated: 01:48, 30 July 2014The ‘cowboy’ parking scandal deepened last night as official figures showed that nearly 100 private firms are applying to buy drivers’ personal details from the DVLA.
The government quango, which holds details of all registered vehicle keepers in the UK, was accused of generating millions from the lucrative private parking business by selling information about innocent motorists to dozens of companies.
Critics even alleged the agency had broken data protection laws by divulging details of motorists’ names and addresses to ‘rogue firms’, who pursue people mercilessly over unpaid parking fines.
According to the DVLA’s own figures, it received 1,898,000 electronic requests for personal information from 26 parking enforcement companies in 2012/13.
By last year, 2013/14, this had soared to an astonishing 2,430,000 electronic applications for drivers’ details from 68 firms.
And the figure is set to rise still further with the number of companies who will make such requests during 2014/15 predicted to be 92.
Campaigners say that unless the Government cracks down on cowboy parking firms, the number of firms making personal information data requests about drivers will exceed 100 in 2015/2016.
etails on the firms seeking information are set out in a DVLA document called ‘Who DVLA shares data with’.
It shows how dozens of parking firms, apparently attracted by the huge profits on offer, are seeking private information about motorists who allegedly owe them fines.
Last year the DVLA – or Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency – collected £6.7million from parking firms seeking personal details.
Millions of names and addresses were sold at £2.50 a time, often to firms that levy parking charges on drivers using privately-owned car parks at NHS hospitals, supermarkets, shopping centres and even tourist attractions.
The rise in the number of parking companies seeking drivers’ details from the DVLA follows the ban on clamping, which came into force in October 2012, and a change in the law which allows parking operators to pursue motorists for the payment of tickets rather than having to identify the driver at the time.
The 2,430,000 requests for driver information last year represents a ten-fold rise from the 272,000 made in 2006/7.
In addition, a further 10.2million records were passed on to local authorities and other official bodies such as the police and government departments last year. The data is contained in the DVLA’s own publication, ‘Release of information from DVLA’s registers’.
Professor Stephen Glaister, of the RAC Foundation, said: ‘The DVLA says it will only share data with those who show “reasonable cause” for having it.
‘But when you annually dish out nearly 2.5million records to parking companies – not to mention millions more to councils, insurance firms and finance businesses – how many checks is the agency able to make to ensure those getting our private information are using it responsibly and being fair to the motorists they’re trying to penalise?’
He added: ‘Just because we have seen the back of clamping we shouldn’t think this is the end of parking disputes on private land. The official data suggests more and more parking companies are turning to ticketing.
‘Ministers will say personal data will only be sold to those firms that can show “reasonable cause” and are members of a government-recognised trade association.
'What we have always argued for is complete regulation of this currently unregulated area. Companies need to be held to official account whether they are part of a trade body or not.’
Tory MP Michael Ellis, who in 2011 supported the ban on private wheel clampers and sits on the Home Affairs Committee, said he has ‘grave concerns’ about how the DVLA is selling drivers’ details.
‘These rogue parking firms are making the lives of innocent motorists a misery,’ he said. ‘The DVLA has a lot of serious questions to answer. It appears the trade in people’s private information is getting out of control.’
Retired Scotland Yard Superintendent Bernie Gravett said: ‘You can only release personal data for lawful purposes. In my view, the pursuit of dubious parking fines, dodgy companies using quasi-official forms and threats does not amount to lawful purposes.
‘The Data Protection Act is there to protect your data and the DVLA should be beyond reproach in protecting it. It [the DVLA] should not be selling it to these companies.’
The DVLA says on its website that it manages ‘a vast amount of data to help keep Britain’s motorists moving safely and legally’.
It adds: ‘In addition to providing information to the police and local authorities, the properly controlled release of DVLA data to third parties offers a host of practical motoring benefits?…?DVLA will only release information when it is lawful and fair to do so.’
A DVLA spokesman said: ‘We take our responsibility to protect information seriously?…?information is only provided under strict controls to parking firms who meet the standards set by an appropriate Accredited Trade Association and are compliant with its Code of Practice.’
He added: ‘If?…?a company does not meet the necessary standards, we will investigate. If the allegations are proven we will stop the release of keeper information to them.’
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