DVLA sells drivers' details to clampers at £2.50 a time

Published 20th Jan 2010

Millions of motorists' personal details have been sold to 'parasite' parking firms and even rogue clampers by a Government agency in a trade generating £43.9million so far.

More than 18million names and addresses have been passed to the private sector in the past five years by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency so that they can be issued with fines, the Daily Mail has learned.

It follows a row last year when access to the database was to be used in an advertising campaign for Castrol. It was halted after complaints about improper use of the data and the DVLA's assertion that it had not authorised its use.

The lucrative trade in drivers' details underpins a parking 'enforcement' industry on private land worth an estimated £1billion

Private parking companies can get a driver's name and address simply by submitting the vehicle registration number and filling in a form confirming that they are pursuing an alleged parking offence.

The DVLA charges £2.50 a time for details from its 'confidential' database of 38million drivers.

Then car owners who have parked outside supermarkets, hospitals, hotels, airports and stations can be pursued for fines and fees often in excess of £500.

Income from the trade has risen every year from £4.7million in 2004-5 to £9.2million for 2009-10.

Motoring groups are alarmed at evidence of the sensitive data falling into the wrong hands as a result of parking, clamping and other barely vetted firms and individuals buying the details.

Liberal Democrat MP Bob Russell, who gained the information from a parliamentary question, said: 'This shows there is a huge Big Brother system run by the state which is in cahoots with parasite-parking companies and clampers.

'I find it wrong that the state is allowing itself to be used by parking companies to rip off drivers. They are using information given in good faith by drivers. It is totally wrong and no driver is safe.'

The Daily Mail has campaigned for action against rogue clampers holding motorists to ransom.

In November ministers agreed to implement every aspect of our Curb the Cowboy Clampers manifesto, including giving drivers an independent right of appeal.

A spokesman for the DVLA said: 'The DVLA knows it is vitally important to safeguard the information it releases from misuse and has a range of robust measures in place to protect data.

'Any evidence of abuse will be referred to the Information Commissioner for investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution.'

Maria Peters received a £125 parking ticket because her 15-month-old daughter Connie took too long to eat her McDonald's meal.

The mother-of-two was tracked down after leaving her Ford Fiesta in a restaurant car park at Gatwick Airport for 53 minutes, not knowing the permitted maximum waiting time was 45 minutes.

Creative Car Park Management photographed her number plate and obtained her name and address from the DVLA. Mrs Peters, 33, of Horley, Surrey, said: 'Connie cannot eat quickly. This country has gone completely mad.'

A McDonald's spokesman said: 'The time limit is clearly communicated to customers via large signs in the car park.'

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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