CCTV policy.

Last updated: 22 October 2026

This policy explains how Royal Cars uses CCTV (camera recording) in our vehicles, why we do it, and what your rights are. Please read it alongside our Privacy Policy.

Who we are

Oxon Transport Services Ltd, trading as Royal Cars (company number 07214828), is a private hire operator licensed by Oxford City Council. We are the data controller for the CCTV footage described in this policy. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number Z6876894.

Data protection contact: Operations Manager, Royal Cars, Unit 1 Isis Business Centre, Pony Road, Cowley, Oxford OX4 2RD. Email: administrator@royal-cars.com. Phone: 01865 777333.

Where we use CCTV

CCTV is fitted in our company-owned vehicles only.

Cameras are supplied by Samsara, which stores footage on our behalf under a written contract.

Every vehicle with a camera displays a sign telling you that CCTV is in use and who to contact.

Why we use CCTV

We use CCTV to:

• protect the safety of passengers and drivers;
• prevent and detect crime;
• investigate complaints, accidents and incidents;
• deal with insurance claims and legal claims.

We do not use CCTV for any other purpose, and we do not use it to monitor drivers’ general performance.

Our lawful basis

We rely on our legitimate interests (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)) in keeping passengers and drivers safe, preventing crime and handling incidents and claims. We have balanced these interests against your privacy and use CCTV only where it is necessary and proportionate. Where footage is used in connection with a crime, we handle it in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.

We have carried out a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for our use of CCTV, which we review regularly.

What we record

Cameras record video images of the inside of the vehicle and the road ahead.

Sound: We do not record conversations. Sound is recorded only if the driver presses the emergency button because of a specific threat. When the button is pressed, the camera saves sound from 30 seconds before to 30 seconds after the press. Signs in the vehicle make clear that sound may be recorded.

How long we keep footage

Footage recorded on our vehicle cameras is automatically overwritten after 14 days. Clips uploaded to Samsara’s cloud (safety events, emergency button activations, or footage we specifically request) are kept for 28 days and then deleted, unless we need to keep a clip for longer to deal with an incident, complaint, insurance claim or police investigation.

Footage uploaded from our vehicle cameras is held by our CCTV supplier, Samsara, on secure servers in the United States. This transfer outside the UK is protected by Samsara’s data protection agreement with us, which includes the ICO-approved UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

Who can see footage

Only authorised Royal Cars managers can view or download footage, and only for the purposes above. Drivers cannot view or download recordings. Footage is held securely with access controls.

When we share footage

We share footage only when it is necessary, for example with:

• the police or other law enforcement bodies, to prevent or detect crime;
• Oxford City Council Licensing, in connection with licensing matters or complaints;
• our insurers, loss adjusters or legal advisers, in connection with a claim;
• anyone else where the law requires us to.

We never publish footage or share it for entertainment or marketing.

Oxford City Council

Oxford City Council does not require CCTV in licensed vehicles. Where we fit CCTV, we have told the council’s Licensing team, as it asks operators to do.

Your rights

You have the right to ask for a copy of footage that shows you. To do this, email administrator@royal-cars.com or write to the address above, and tell us:

• the date and approximate time of your journey;
• the vehicle or booking reference, if you have it;
• a description of yourself, so we can find you in the footage.

We will reply within one month. There is normally no charge. We may need to blur or hide other people in the footage to protect their privacy. Please ask promptly, because footage is overwritten after the period above.

You also have rights to object to our use of CCTV, and to ask us to delete or restrict footage in some circumstances. Full details of your rights are in our Privacy Policy.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we use CCTV, please contact our Operations Manager first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office: www.ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this policy

We review this policy regularly and may update it. The date at the top shows when it last changed.