Horizon Parking taking names of blue badge holders

ANNOYED1

Firstly I know blue badge scheme doesn't apply on private land.

Horizon parking are making blue badge holders give their full name and are writing down the details on the back of the blue badge to put in their systems. This is to register for 2 hours free parking whilst everyone else pays £2 and gets a refund if spend over £5 in store. Non blue badge holders only need to put car registration number into machines. This is ANPR controlled car park but has attendants at the pay terminals.

The attendants are not telling people they are taking their names down, they turn over the badge and write down all the details. The signs in car park state blue badge holders need to register badge number and vehicle registration number. No mention of need to provide name.

The attendant will not register a vehicle which blue badge holder refuses to provide name even if blue badge is displayed in window.

So what are the legalities here and what can be done to stop taking down names and register blue badge holder for free parking.

Redx

Perhaps a complaint to the ICO under the GDPR ?

As these people have no authority they should not be inspecting blue badges

Which retailer or landowner ??

ANNOYED1

A complaint was sent to ICO but it needs to be dealt with Horizon first before ICO will get involved.
Horizon are slow to reply.
The attendants are also writing the blue badge information in plain sight on pieces of paper which can be viewed by any member of public.
The retailer is Sainsburys. Their customer service team is useless so have escalated it to executive office.
This is a warning to Blue Badge holders as the information on the back of your badge can be used to create fake badges in your name or identity fraud.

Fruitcake

As above, private parking scammers do not have the right to inspect a blue badge or record data from it. Like Redx, I also think this may be a data breach.

I bet the signs say nothing about a scam operative inspecting badges.

Complaints should be made to the DVLA, BPA, ICO, the local MP, and perhaps Trading Standards. Local and national press/radio/TV could also be contacted as well.

(Candid) video of such an event or at least still pictures would be useful.

Redx

Seems to me that it is harvesting private and personal data which I believe breaches the DPA and therefore as the BB owner hasn't given consent and as the data is not being kept safe it is surely a DPA breach on several counts

Asda head office asked for pictures of mine by email to be kept on a whitelist with my permission being sought and given , presumably in collaboration with Parking Eye

knightstyle

Well I can see what they are looking for. There are so many people using "borrowed" blue badges to park in disabled bays at our two local supermarkets. This may deter them.
What objection do disabled people have to giving their name and BB number to get free parking when others have to pay?
My DW has a BB and we had to do the same at the hospital to get reduced, not free, parking and no-one complains about that!

Fruitcake

knightstyle wrote: »

Well I can see what they are looking for. There are so many people using "borrowed" blue badges to park in disabled bays at our two local supermarkets. This may deter them.
What objection do disabled people have to giving their name and BB number to get free parking when others have to pay?
My DW has a BB and we had to do the same at the hospital to get reduced, not free, parking and no-one complains about that!

The fact that they do not have a right to do this, and the fact that the parking companies are scammers (according to our MPs amongst others), the fact they are misusing the data for financial gain, and people who do not give up their right to anonymity are not being offered free parking. I believe this is also a breach of the Equality Act 2010.

This doesn't even touch on disabled people who do not have a blue badge but are harassed by parking scammers because they are required to do something that able bodied motorists are not. This is another breach of the EA 2010.

I can't see why anyone would not object to this sort of mistreatment that able bodied people aren't being asked to do.

Redx

It depends what authority they are using to harvest the data , plus if they are getting permission to obtain the data , plus what and where are they storing the data and for how long

This is a DPA issue and the GDPR has strict rules and guidelines about this

So whilst the police and councils have powers to inspect them , some employee working for Horizon or other private company has no rights of inspection whatsoever , never mind writing down the data and retaining it

Comparing a supermarket to a hospital is like comparing chalk and cheese

Imho it's a data breach and one they have no legal authority to continue

The BPA Cop etc forbids private parking companies from passing themselves off as a bona fide authority , or trying to emulate local authorities or the police

So whilst a police person or trading standards can inspect blue badges , plus confiscate them if abused , horizon and Sainsbury's cannot

The spaces being provided are actually for anyone covered by the EA2010 , nothing to do with having a BB or not

It is the job if the government and local authorities to provide an official database for these matters , like the DVLA having a database of registered vehicles containing a VRM against a registered keeper , so if the government wanted a BB database they would set one up

Why are the genuine BB customers doing this ? When all they have to do is pay the £2 and redeem it in store ? Like Smart used to do at my local Asda , free parking is free parking , even if you pay £2 at the entrance and get a refund in the retailer , there are many pubs and restaurants that use that method of giving free parking , BB or not

beamerguy

You must advise the CEO of sainsbury's that their parking scammers are collecting data they are not entitled to

Mr Mike Coupe Chief Executive

Email mike.coupe@sainsburys.co.uk

The mind boggles just how stupid these scammers have become

twhitehousescat

refuse to give details , ensure that badge and ticket are visible and take timed /dated photo (retain ticket)

if ticket thru post go thru POPLa

blue badge rules state that VALID badge should be shown

ANNOYED1

I will reply to once I receive a reply from them. I emailed the executive office instead of the CEO directly.

I had no problem with them checking the photo to see if it is the person had they asked first. The hospitals that register blue badge for free parking state the badge holder must be there to register for free parking. The hospital reception then write down badge number and car registration details out of sight of public view and never write down the name. I know this as they check photo then flip badge over to front and write down badge number. The badge number is displayed when you display badge in public so anybody could write this down. But the public would never have access to your name or address from the DVLA.

Will keep this updated with information when I can.