Privacy Notice

Introduction

The General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 regulate the processing of personal data and provide individuals with certain rights concerning the way in which their data is processed.

This privacy notice tells users what to expect when Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL) and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal collect personal information in relation to enquiries and appeals. While no personal information is collected from use of this website, Traff-iCase, those using this site may be interacting with either PATROL or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal as part of their user journey.

About PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Local authorities in England and Wales that enforce parking or other traffic restrictions, such as bus lanes, yellow box junctions or Clean Air Zones, are undertaking civil traffic enforcement.

Under the law relating to civil traffic enforcement, authorities issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) to motorists for contravening restrictions also have a statutory duty to make provision for independent legal adjudication of any appeals resulting from such penalties.

Over 300 local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales exercise this statutory duty, jointly, through a local government joint committee: Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL).

The independent adjudication PATROL provides for is delivered by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. PATROL authorities provide resources to support the independent lawyer adjudicators and their support staff, who together comprise the Tribunal.

The adjudicators of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal are independent lawyers, appointed by the Lord Chancellor, and are exercising a judicial function. They are not employees of the PATROL Joint Committee or member authorities. The roles of – and relationship between – the Tribunal and PATROL, as well as the civil enforcement of traffic penalties in England and Wales, are underpinned by the Traffic Management Act 2004 (opens in new tab) and the Transport Act 2000 (opens in new tab), as well as regulations (differing for England and Wales) made under the Acts.

The adjudicators of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal decide appeals against traffic penalties issued by local authorities in England (outside London) and Wales, which undertake the civil enforcement of parking, bus lanes and moving traffic contraventions. The Tribunal also decides appeals against penalties issued by local authorities in England (outside London) for Clean Air Zone and littering from vehicles contraventions.

Finally, the Tribunal decides appeals arising from penalty charges issued by charging authorities enforcing road user charging schemes at:

• the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing (‘Dart Charge’) scheme – where the charging authority is the Secretary of State for Transport
• the Mersey Gateway Bridge Crossings (‘Merseyflow’) scheme – where the charging authority is Halton Borough Council
• the Durham Road User Charge Zone, operated by Durham County Council.

The lawful basis for processing users’ personal data

Article 6 of the GDPR sets out the lawful basis for processing personal data. PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal’s lawful basis for processing data is because the two organisations perform a public task and the processing is necessary to perform a task in the public interest – and for its official functions – and the task and function has a clear basis in law.

How users’ personal data may be used

PATROL will use the information users supply through the PATROL website (Name, email address, subject and message) to respond to enquiries. Alternatively, any information users provide should they decide to email or contact PATROL by telephone will be used to answer such queries. When users provide PATROL with their personal data, the organisation takes their confidentiality and its compliance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 very seriously.

To appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, users need to provide personal information. This will include a name, address, contact and vehicle details, and any other personal information provided as part of an appeal.

The personal information users provide will be used by a Tribunal adjudicator to decide the appeal. By submitting an appeal and any supporting information and documents, users are agreeing to the Tribunal using it for this purpose and disclosing it to the authority who will be responding to the appeal, the adjudicator who will be making the decision and Tribunal staff working on behalf of the adjudicator. The adjudicator uses this information and the information provided by the respondent authority to reach his / her decision.

When users provide the Tribunal with their personal data, their confidentiality and the organisation’s compliance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 is taken very seriously.

How long will PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal store users’ data?

Correspondence with PATROL often relates to appeals to the Tribunal, which is required under statute to maintain a register of decisions. Some of users’ personal data will be retained for the purposes of maintaining that register. Other case information, documents and enquiry information will be retained for two years, except in cases where the adjudicator has determined that the case is of judicial interest – in which case, relevant evidence will be kept for longer.

How will users’ data be stored?

PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal take data security very seriously and take every step to ensure that users’ data remains private and secure. All data collected is stored in a secure database and kept entirely within the United Kingdom (UK), unless otherwise stated below.

The Tribunal uses (links below open in new tabs):

• Resolver to supply the online appeal system. Resolver’s privacy policy can be found at: https://resolver.co.uk/our-privacy-policy.
• Mailchimp to send emails. Further information on Mailchimp’s privacy policies can be found at: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy.
• Google Docs for word processing. Further information about Google’s privacy policies can be found at: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy).
• Survey Monkey to obtain user feedback. Further information about Survey Monkey’s privacy policies can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/privacy-policy/?ut_source=gdpr_consent_banner.

Keeping users’ data secure

Transmitting information over the internet is generally not completely secure and data security cannot be guaranteed. PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal take data security very seriously and take every step to ensure that users’ data remains private and secure. All data transferred to and received from the organisation’s systems are encrypted.

Sharing users’ data

Depending on the nature of a users’ enquiry, a quicker response may be possible if PATROL is able to share the enquiry with the authority who issued the penalty, or with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal if the enquiry relates to an appeal or potential appeal. The appeals process is underpinned by statute and, as part of the judicial process, it is necessary for the Tribunal to disclose an appeal to the authority that issued the PCN in question, so that they may respond to the appeal.

PATROL or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal will never share users’ information with other organisations for their marketing, market research or commercial purposes, and don’t pass on personal information to any other websites.

If a user would prefer to contact third parties directly, they should ensure they mention this at the time of making their enquiry, so they can be provided with the relevant contact details.

Unless users say otherwise, it will be assumed that consent is given to their enquiry being shared with the appropriate organisation for the purposes of answering the query.

Visitors to the PATROL and Traffic Penalty Tribunal websites

When someone visits the PATROL or Traffic Penalty Tribunal websites, a third-party service, Google Analytics, is used to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. This information is only processed in a way that does not identify anyone.

Use of cookies by PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal

Users can read more about how PATROL may use cookies at: https://www.patrol-uk.info/cookie-policy/ (opens in new tab) and how the Traffic Penalty Tribunal may use them at: https://www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/cookie-policy/(opens in new tab).

The cookie policy for use of this website, Traff-iCase, can be found here.

Call recording

All calls to or from PATROL and the Traffic Penalty Tribunal are recorded for quality and training purposes.

Questions about how we use users’ data?

If users have any questions about how PATROL uses their data, they may email: dpo@patrol-uk.info, and for any questions about how the Traffic Penalty Tribunal uses their data: dpo@trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk.

For any concerns about how PATROL or the Traffic Penalty Tribunal uses data, please contact The Information Commissioner’s Office on 0303 123 1113.