The BVRLA Position Papers outline the association’s views, objectives and engagement activity relating to key policy areas affecting the industry.
The issue explained:
In 2017, we saw a spate of terrorist attacks where rental vehicles were used as ramming weapons causing death and destruction in the UK and around the world.
Protecting public spaces from vehicle attacks is a top priority for governments, who is under pressure to take action.
The UK Government has outlined its intention to work with the vehicle rental sector and haulage industry to help mitigate the threat:
The Counter-Terrorism strategy states that government and police will:
...work with the vehicle hire and haulage industries on measures to improve counter-terrorism security awareness through training and best practice guidance…
These attacks are also having a major impact on the insurance market, where members and their insurers have faced multi-million personal compensation bills.
Some insurers have since increased premiums or withdrawn from the market.
The vehicle rental market in the UK is one of the largest in Europe, managing well over 500,000 cars, vans and trucks estimated to be worth £1.25 billion (Source: 2015 Study by KPMG).
What we are asking of policymakers:
- To engage with the BVRLA and its members to ensure a collective, coordinated and proportionate approach from government, law enforcement and industry.
- To protect vehicle rental operators and their insurers from the impact of terrorism to ensure that they can continue to provide cost-effective insurance.
- To intervene to secure the removal of any online content inspiring violence and extremism.
- To help the sector promote the DfT’s Rental Vehicle Security Scheme to help increase counter-terrorism awareness and preparedness across the industry and mitigate the risk of rental vehicles being used as weapons in acts of terror.
Top 5 key messages:
- The BVRLA and its members continue to work with law enforcement and government to explore ways of sharing data to help deter terrorists from using vehicles as weapons.
- The vehicle rental industry can help to deter terrorists by increasing visibility of, and demonstrating increased collaboration with counter-terrorism agencies by supporting the national Action Counter-Terrorism (ACT) campaign.
- The BVRLA has developed a suite of bespoke counter-terrorism resources and guidance tailored to the vehicle rental sector, available free-of-charge to all in the sector.
- The vehicle rental industry takes security very seriously and the BVRLA has long-established processes in place to share information on the latest security threats and best practice.
- The BVRLA has expanded its e-Learning Platform to include modules on Counter-Terrorism awareness training. This ‘ACT Awareness training’ will provide guidance to the vehicle rental sector on how to tackle terrorist threats.
Recent BVRLA activity from Q1-2019:
- Working with the motor insurance industry to help share best practices and intelligence and coordinate areas of support
- BVRLA joined the DFT RVVS Advisory Panel
- Supporting and promoting the voluntary scheme to BVRLA members
- Continuing to work with Government to help assess the effectiveness of the scheme
- Code strengthened to ensure members train staff and engage with enforcement authorities
- Responding to Corner’s report following the Westminster Terror Attack by providing factual information about the industry and legal obligation on sharing data
- Hosted a webinar on RVSS with DfT support
