So says Malcolm Maycock, managing director of the Licence Bureau – which is part of the Electronic Driver Entitlement Checking Service (EDECS) user group, as the DVLA looks to abolish the paper counterpart of the licence.

Maycock, who is chairman of the EDECS group, said the two bodies met up in January 2014 to discuss the changes and said that the DVLA confirmed they are seeking the relevant approvals to enhance their new system and to allow the user group real time access to driver results. This will mean future single as well as the current batch requests.

He added: ‘EDECS users are working with DVLA officials to explore the feasibility of introducing an accredited trade association model for the disclosure of driver data for driver entitlement checking purposes.

‘The proposed changes should bring a range of benefits to all.

‘All businesses should be recording current driving and vehicle documents whether using those produced by drivers or electronic records. The loss of the counterpart does not hamper anyone as instead of the driver producing a document, they will be able to log into their driver record and provide a view of their current status which the company can record. A print out of the screen not seen by an employer would not be suitable as it could easily be manipulated.

‘Organisations will continue to have access to driver records, subject to consent from the data subject, as they do currently through the EDECS service and any other associations who meet the criteria and comply with the requirements.’

He added: ‘There have to be checks and balances and we hope through the EDECS user group we can provide a safe and secure service to corporates, which will make our roads a safer place for all.’