Drivers vent frustration over tax disc chaos

Drivers had been given months of advance warning – but a last minute rush of people looking to update their car tax as the paper discs went out of use forced the site offline for several hours. 

 

The DVLA claimed it had “unprecendented demand” as 6,000 users a minute took to its site in an attempt to keep their cars on the road before the morning. In total, around 270,000 people renewed their tax in one day, 30,000 more than on the same day last year.

 

Frustrated drivers took to Twitter to complain about the service:

 

https://twitter.com/Lou_walmsley/status/517053142639591425 

 

https://twitter.com/RickyWebber23/status/517055110367567872 

 

https://twitter.com/speedmonkeycouk/status/517060194439028739 

 

https://twitter.com/rubyrockcake/status/517059636143620096 

 

The new system, which came into force from midnight, means that paper tax discs are no longer valid. 

 

The change-over has been controversial with many bemoaning the loss of the physical item, which some have described as iconic in design terms. 

 

There is even a name for tax disc collectors – velologists – and reports have suggested that vintage discs could be worth as much as £1,000. 

 

Motoring assistance group the AA has also claimed the change-over meant some drivers could be left paying twice because tax is not transferable when selling a car. 

In a warning on its website headed “buyer beware”, the AA said: