Nearly half of private parking companies audited by the Government have been rated either red or amber over their use of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data, which the RAC suggests could indicate ‘misuse of data or significant risk to data protection'.

A red rating – which typically indicates significant weaknesses or serious compliance concerns – was awarded to 40% (23) of the 57 car park management companies audited by the Government Internal Audit Agency last financial year for the way they handled information from the DVLA's database to issue parking charge notices.

A further 9% (5) were rated amber, which suggests weaknesses that were not considered critical.

Companies are currently able to request registered keeper details from the DVLA when pursuing parking charge notices - at a cost of £2.50 per record - but to do so they must be members of either the British Parking Association (BPA) or the International Parking Community (IPC).

Government audits typically look at samples of parking charge notices to understand whether there is a lawful basis for requesting the data, whether it is used solely for the permitted purpose, and if companies protect personal data securely.

According to the RAC, the Government Internal Audit Agency stated that its ‘Red, Amber, Green' ratings are based ‘solely on a point in time assessment of the organisation's compliance with DVLA requirements'.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: ‘These findings demonstrate the desperate need for the Government's Private Parking Code of Practice to be brought into force since becoming law back in 2019. Crucially, it will require all car park management companies to have to meet a number of key operating standards in order to have access to the DVLA's keeper database. Without this of course, they will not be able to issue parking charge notices to drivers.

‘The RAC continues to work hard on behalf of drivers to get the code back into action, after it was withdrawn in 2022 following legal challenges from the private parking industry and debt recovery firms.'

The new Private Parking Code of Practice will require car park management companies to comply with ‘a range of operating requirements' to retain access to the DVLA database.