Yesterday evening, Watchdog featured a story about drivers who had had been forced to retake their tests (at considerable expense) in order to regain their licences after DVLA had lost their information. This seemed to happen when licences were returned to the DVLA for a replacement photo licence or change of address. Problems seemed greatest for motorcyclists. One chap, an HGV driver was able to produce a photocopy that had been retained by an employer, but was told by DVLA that it could be a forgery - and he had to retake his test!
If you had to return your licence to the DVLA and they lost it -do you have any proof that you had passed your driving test? For that matter, if you lost/mislaid your licence, how could you prove to the authorities that you ever had one, if DVLA don't retain records?
As a start, I'm going to colour p/c our licences, just in case, but does anyone have any other suggestions for a back-up?
Or ....can someone reassure me that this is all a Watchdog induced storm in a teacup - there are no problems, and I don't have to worry!
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A report the news and I believe in the DT stated that over a third of all DVLA held information was incorrect,maybe you should make a couple of copies as they will probably loose the first.It took over a year to sort out the problem I had when they lost all the paper work on a vehicle I sold last year
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Never watch Watchdog, though ISTR seeing something similar elsewhere. Is the problem a loss of computer data (rather than paperwork)?
Test pass details are all on license; reproduced from DVLA records. So long as driver number is known they can be recalled.
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I inferred that the problems are caused by a combination of lost/inaccurate computer data and the fact that paper records are destroyed after 3 months.
If the answer is to p/c licence with driver no. and other details, then that's what I'll do.
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The problem arose in the early nineties when the DVLA transfered it's paper system onto computer, employing temporary staff to help deal with the massive workload. Many motorcyclists never had their entitlements transfered across, and the DVLA would not take their word that they had passed a test so they had to re-take.
Motorcycle News first reported on this five years ago, and when I moved house a year later I had my solicitor photocopy and witness the entitlements on my licence. No doubt it added a few quid to the bill, but it was worth it for the peace of mind it brought.
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For obvious reasons, all paper records need to be destroyed at some point. Imagine how much space will be needed to store it all. However, all paper records are first transfered to microfiche before this happens and so the microfiche can be retrieved and used. I've done a tour of DVLA in Swansea (after we took over the IT side from EDS) seeing the end-to-end process from forms arriving to licenses being printed etc.
FYI, when you send in any paper work to DVLA, the first step (apart from opening envelopes) is to scan onto computer. Unless your writing is unclear (e.g. blue ink does not scan well) the staff then use a totally computerised work-flow system. They can request the paper copy if the scanned images are unclear.
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Funnily enough I'm involved in an outsourcing contract where we will be using EDS Swansea's scanning and workflow management system. This thread isn't making me smile for some reason.
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Not sure if the DVLA system was an EDS one or not. My company (Fujitsu with PWC) took over the running of IT systems at the DVLA. What I can say is the scanning and workflow system appeared to work great to me. Certaintly an interesting tour.
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I lost my licence a few years ago and then found it after I had recieved a replacement. So I keep the old one in my briefcase and my new one at home.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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>>I lost my licence a few years ago<<
I always knew you were a speed freak E.
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Adam
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I keep a duplicate - just in case. I have had clients in the same boat as the chaps on Watchdog. I would be so cross if they lost my records. Intresting really what if your licence produced to a Court doesn't agree with the sworn DVLA Printout....just another example of a HMG quality product.
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It has been reported quite a lot in MotorCycle News over the last few months.
I've kept a receipt from a nice policeman who sent my license away for some points to be added and it states my entitlement. So if the DVLA mess mine up if/when I have to convert to a photo licence, I have a witnessed by plot statement of my driving classes.
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