Parking firms buying 15,000 DVLA driver records a day

PRIVATE parking firms are buying the details of more than 15,000 drivers a day so they can hound them for fines.

The DVLA sold more than 1.4 million vehicle keeper records between July and September – almost 13 times the 111,944 records sold a decade earlier in the second quarter of 2007/08.

The information is used to pursue vehicle owners for penalties of up to £100 for supposed infringements of parking regulations on private land.

The RAC Foundation has warned that private parking companies are ‘gearing up for a Christmas bonanza’ as motorists come out in force to do their shopping.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority makes about £1.2million a month from selling the records – at £2.50 a vehicle.

Despite promises by ministers to crack down on the parking companies – including a manifesto commitment from Theresa May’s Government – some firms have ramped up efforts to catch out motorists.

Last night Tory MP Sir Greg Knight said the growing trade in vehicle records underlined the need for tougher legislation. He added: ‘If a firm is shown to be a rogue company riding roughshod over fair play, I hope to persuade Parliament that they should be banned from accessing DVLA records.’