DVLA lobbying and campaigns

Red tape challenge

The Road Transport Red Tape Challenge was open between 20 May and 17 June 2011. The department received over 2000 comments. Within the Road Transport Red Tape Challenge theme, DfT placed over 400 regulations online for comment. After removing those that have already lapsed, 376 remain of which 142 will be scrapped or improved following a vigorous process of challenge.

Outcome of review

The Department for Transport published a summary of the results on 15 December 2011 of which the key areas relating to the DVLA are listed below:

1. On-demand vehicle registration (V5) documents for the fleet sector - By allowing vehicle owners to request V5 documents on demand rather than issuing them automatically from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the government is removing the administrative cost of storing and distributing massive batches of documents.

2. Abolishing the paper counterpart to the driving licence - The government has pledged to abolish the paper counterpart to the driving licence by 2015. This will benefit all motorists, but it will also require the DVLA to introduce real-time electronic access to driver records for rental companies who currently rely on the information on the counterpart.

A consultation has also been announced by Department for Transport (DfT) on a programme of work which will transform the way that the DVLA delivers its services to customers. The consultation document can be viewed here.

New vehicle registration certificate

The DVLA is to issue a restyled vehicle registration certificate (V5C). It will be sent to all newly registered vehicles from 15 August and all relicensed vehicles, or those subject to a statutory off-road notification (SORN), after July 2011. The DVLA says the move will help protect motorists from being sold vehicles with false documentation. The new V5Cs have a predominantly red cover, replacing the current blue, and carry a statement confirming that a V5C is not proof of ownership. The old and new V5Cs can be compared on the Directgov website.

The BVRLA will be working with the DVLA to find a solution to reduce the administration burden members will face when the new style V5C starts being issued to members when they relicense and SORN vehicles. Suggestions so far include supressing issuance of the V5C to members with a DVLA fleet code until the registered keeper changes or bulk replace the V5C's in a controlled manner. If member's have any other suggestions of how the impact of this change can be minimised contact legal and policy executive Amanda Brandon.

Contact:
Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk  
01494 545701

Products and services directorate

The BVRLA has been working with the DVLA and its products and services directorate to develop electronic solutions for members and has held a workshop with members and DVLA to develop the early thinking on these solutions.The discussions have proved to be very positive, with the DVLA setting out its timescale for a September 2010 move to its new IT platform for fleet relicensing. The DVLA believes the new IT platform would give it scope to provide other electronic services in the future, such as bulk relicensing of cars over three years old, refunding vehicle excise duty and accepting statutory offroad notification (SORN) and notice of vehicle disposals.

Whilst some of these services were acknowledged as longer-term goals, the DVLA is looking at accepting electronic SORN and disposal notifications by email and file transfer in the near future.

Other topics discussed which will require further work included the removal of the need to issue paper V5 documentation, multi-year vehicle excise duty, and fleet relicensing of heavy goods and passenger service vehicles.

To participate in future discussions with the DVLA, contact legal and policy executive Amanda Brandon. 

Contact:
Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk
01494 545701

Futher information

If members would like to make suggestions about any lobbying we should be doing with DVLA please email Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk  or call 01494 545701.

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