Electronic Driving Licence Checks - Network Rail

Our Ref: HSR/4/2
Head Office Circular: NP/256/21
19th July 2021
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

ELECTRONIC DRIVING LICENCE CHECKS – NETWORK RAIL

Further to Head Office Circular NP/195/21, dated 4th June 2021, your National Executive Committee, at its meeting on 15th July, noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety Sub-committee:

We note the response form Network Rail and the legal advice form the Union’s Solicitors.

The General Secretary is instructed to write to Network Rail:

• demanding that alternative arrangements for checking licences are made where employees are concerned about the safety of their data

• obtaining confirmation from Network Rail and Hitachi that the data will only be used for the purpose of checking driving licences and nothing else. In particular, it will be stored securely and not passed on to anyone else

• ensuring consent forms are strictly limited to the data being used for driving licence checks with the DVLA and nothing else

• clarifying that the information from the DVLA Network Rail receives via Hitachi will not be used in disciplinary action.

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised.

I am acting in accordance with these instructions.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely


Michael Lynch
General Secretary