HAVE YOUR SAY Any views? Write to
editor@britishparking.co.uk
A detailed approach
Could the release of data by the DVLA contribute towards a more law-abiding society, asks Deborah Parkins of Key IVR
Reports on the inaccuracy of driver and vehicle records kept by the DVLA are not new. Investigations into the ‘Laser 2’ trial found that the quality of data was as low as 40 per cent during the year-long assessment by police forces across the UK. Tis seems a far cry from the DVLA’s
self-declared purpose to: ‘establish and maintain an accurate record of all those who are entitled to drive various types of vehicles, together with a register of all vehicles entitled to travel on public roads.’ But is this indeed a chronic condition?
Tis article seeks to examine some of the problems faced by an inaccurate public record; how the DVLA are addressing this contentious issue; and what further steps can be taken to ensure this inaccuracy is reduced further. Te problems with any
inaccurate public record are painfully apparent. Agencies, both public and private, rely on the DVLA as their primary source of information. With vehicle use tightly regulated under statutory provisions,
34 DECEMBER 2010
which cover criminal liability ranging from road traffic collisions to contractual ones when using car park facilities, or even to pay-at-pump fuel transactions, the necessity of accurate records is one of public importance.
Hitting the targets Te DVLA has responded to this need, setting high targets for the accuracy of the records it holds in the quest for greater transparency and accountability. Indeed,
the DVLA shows that its accuracy of driver reports is improving, and has exceeded its target, achieving 97.1 per cent accuracy when attempting to trace the registered keeper from DVLA records. However, this still leaves the issue of the
other 2.9 per cent of erroneous records and, with an estimated 35 million vehicles on the road, that equates to more than one million vehicles with inaccurate records. It is hard to understand why this should
be the case. Te Vehicle Excise and Offences Act (1994) creates an offence for a person to use a vehicle in respect of which:
• The name and address of the keeper are not recorded in the register; or • Any of the particulars recorded in the register are incorrect. Anyone found guilty of this offence is
liable for a fine of up to £1,000. Letters to owners and ‘gentle’ reminders can only ever be limited in their effectiveness. At some point, surely ‘the stick’ must replace ‘the carrot’ to ensure that this isn’t just another toothless piece of legislation. Critics may challenge such a method
as draconian but, when coupled with the informative approach of reminding individuals to update their details, it will only be the true evaders who fall foul. One could argue that the cost of investigating such offences is prohibitive, but the increased use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) by police forces across the UK will allow the police to stop motorists, identify the user and furnish the DVLA with the details. Such a harmonious approach would not
be as much of a burden to police forces as may first appear. Having spoken with
It is not easy to turn enforcement on and off simply to balance compliance
former police officers it is their view that, in cases where the vehicle has not been correctly registered or no duty has been paid, the driver is often involved in other matters. Failure to pay the duty required is a tell-tale sign that the vehicle lacks adequate insurance or has been stolen. Equally, the police have various powers
to identify drivers and take these vehicles off the road, safeguarding the public and adding another layer of deterrent to ‘would be’ evaders.
State aid If the police updated the DVLA records regularly, these details could then be passed on to any private individuals wishing to pursue a civil claim. Tis wouldn’t just be limited to those companies in the parking industry, but to private individuals pursuing claims following a road traffic collision or a failure
www.britishparking.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52