DVLA staff cars ‘targeted over parking issues’
DVLA staff who parked their cars in a residential street returned to find they had been scratched and damaged.
Workers suspect the damage was carried out by someone disgruntled at them leaving their vehicles on the residential street during the working day.
A number of cars left in Maes y Deri in Swansea Vale were targeted on a single day last month.
The street is used sometimes by staff working at the agency’s call centre in Llansamlet.
The DVLA provides car parks to accommodate its staff, but the number of people using vehicles to get to work outnumbers spaces, forcing staff to look elsewhere.
It is believed using nearby residential streets has upset some of the people living there.
One worker returned to her vehicle this week following a day’s work at the call centre to discover it appeared to have been “keyed” - having a key or other metal object dragged along the vehicle’s paintwork to leave a long scratch, exposing the silver metal underneath.
She said: “I park my car there while I am working at the DVLA if there is no room in car parks provided.
“I reported the damage to the police and was told many cars had been keyed in the same road that day.
“It appears this has happened to several cars recently of staff that work in the DVLA. It is thought this has been done as a grudge by people objecting to cars being parked in their area. I have been saving up money to go travelling, so I have a hire car which I need to get to work.
“I’m now going to have to pay for the scratch to the hire car to be repaired.”
She said there were three car parks, which were full, so she had no choice but to look elsewhere.
“I made sure my car was parked legally and wasn’t blocking any driveway.
“Police aren’t going to be able to do anything because there is no evidence as to who is responsible. We are just people doing our best to earn a living.”
It isn’t the first time DVLA staff parking in residential streets has been an issue.
Residents of Penrhiw Court Housing Estate in Morriston have claimed staff parking there has been an ongoing problem for years.
A DVLA spokesman added: “We are a huge employer with more than 6,000 staff at three sites in Morriston and Swansea.
“We understand how parking is an important issue for staff and the local community and provide on-site parking, a free park and ride, subsidised work buses and a car sharing scheme.
“If anyone believes their car has been deliberately damaged on a public road they should contact the police.”
A spokesman for South Wales Police added: “Police are investigating reports of a number of parked cars being damaged in Maes y Deri, Llansamlet.
“Investigations are continuing”.