Privacy Concerns Raised over Parking Payments
Ealing Council advises residents to view setting in their app
PayByPhone has been asked to confirm its handling of data is compliant with the agreement with the council. Picture: PayByPhone
July 3, 2025
Ealing Council has recommended to users of the borough’s parking payment system to review their settings after concerns were raised about privacy.
A borough resident complained to the council after he received a marketing message from PayByPhone. It was an MOT reminder for a vehicle belonging to a builder he booked into park when work was being done on his flat. The resident does not own a vehicle.
Although MOT due dates are publicly available information, vehicle ownership is not, so the parking payment provider is effectively assuming that the vehicle belongs to the person booking the parking.
There is no evidence that the message breaches PayByPhone’s GDPR obligations, but the resident told the council that, if it is insisting on the use of a single provider, then opt out of marketing emails should be automatic. The resident says that at no point did he agree to accept any communications other than those relating to parking bookings.
A spokesperson for Ealing Council said, “We take the protection of residents’ personal data extremely seriously and have robust contractual and technical safeguards in place with all parking-payment providers, including PayByPhone.
“Residents can adjust their marketing preferences in the PayByPhone app settings. under ‘My Account’ > ‘Promotions and Privacy’, including whether to receive marketing messages or SMS reminders. We would encourage individuals to review their app settings in the first instance.
“If someone suspects their data, while using a council service, is being misused they can contact our Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@ealing.gov.uk.
“We have asked PayByPhone to confirm that its own systems are operating within the limits of our Data Processing Agreement and UK GDPR and we will continue to monitor their response. Should any evidence of inappropriate data use come to light, we will act immediately and, if required, inform the Information Commissioner’s Office.”
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