Privacy Statement

This statement covers the services provided by the websites:

• www.dft.gov.uk
• sharp.direct.gov.uk
• talesoftheroad.direct.gov.uk

The Data Controller for these websites is the Department.

The purpose of this statement is to inform users of the websites, which are managed by the Department, about the information that is collected from them when they visit this site, how this information is used, if it is disclosed and the ways in which we protect users' privacy.

The Department has published an Information Charter on this website which sets out the standards the public can expect from us when we handle their personal information.

Cookie

When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.

These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:

• enabling a service to recognise your device so you don't have to give the same information several times during one task
• recognising that you may already have given a username and password so you don't need to do it for every web page requested
• measuring how many people are using services, so they can be made easier to use and there's enough capacity to ensure they are fast

You can manage these small files yourself and learn more about them through Internet browser cookies – what they are and how to manage them.

Our use of cookies

Cookies for the duration of the visit

Some pages use session cookies which are used by the web server to calculate how long the user has been on the site. A session token is a unique identifier that is generated and sent from a server to a client to identify the current interaction session. The client usually stores and sends the token as an HTTP cookie and/or sends it as a parameter in GET or POST queries.

Name: PHPSessID
Typical content: randomly generated number (PHP code)
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: ASPSESSIONID [random number]
Typical content: randomly generated number (ASP code)
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: JSESSIONID
Typical content: randomly generated number (JSP code)
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: ASP.NET_SessionId
Typical content: randomly generated number (ASP.NET code)
Expires: when user exits browser

Cookies for website presentation

Some pages use session cookies to remember your selections or preferences that you've already made when looking at information.

Name: standardsForHighwaysContrast
Typical content: contrastSwitchOff
Expires: when user exits browser

Cookies for website presentation

Some pages use session cookies to remember your selections or preferences that you've already made when looking at information.

Name: standardsForHighwaysContrast
Typical content: contrastSwitchOff
Expires: when user exits browser

Cookies for improving service

Google Analytics sets cookies to help us accurately estimate the number of visitors to the website and volumes of usage, e.g. website statistics. This to ensure that the service is available when you want it and fast.

Name: _utma
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 2 years

Name: _utmb
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 30 minutes

Name: _utmc
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: _utmz
Typical content: randomly generated number + info on how the site was reached (e.g. directly or via a link, organic search or paid search)
Expires: 6 months

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.

Cookies for online forms

We sometimes use SurveyMonkey for online surveys. Information gathered through their cookies helps them measure use of their site. Cookie data allows SurveyMonkey to track usage behavior and compile data that they can use to improve their service.

Name: CookieMonkey
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Survey Monkey website.

Cookies on DfT YouTube channel

DfT YouTube channel uses session cookies to calculate how long the user has been on the site, bandwith connection and session preferences.

Name: _user_hitbox
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Typical content: randomly generated number for estimating user bandwidth
Expires: <1 year

Name: PREF
Typical content: randomly generated number for session preferences
Expires: 20 years

Name: GEO
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

For further details on the cookies set by YouTube, please refer to the YouTube website.

Cookies on DfT Twitter channel

Twitter may use both session cookies and persistent cookies to improve their service including understanding user interaction, monitor aggregate usage and web traffic routing.

Name: k
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 1 week

Name: guest_id
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 1 month

Name: original_referer
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: external_referer
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 24 hrs

Name: _twitter_sess
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: when user exits browser

Name: js
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 1 month

For further details on the cookies set by Twitter, please refer to the Twitter website.

Cookies on DfT Flickr channel

Yahoo Flickr may use both session cookies and persistent cookies to improve their service.

Name: BX
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 25 years

Name: localization
Typical content: randomly generated number
Expires: 3 years

For further details on the cookies set by Yahoo, please refer to the Flickr website.

Cookies on Directgov Tales of the Road campaign website

The Directgov Tales of the Road may use both session cookies and persistent cookies to improve Directgov’s service including understanding user interaction, monitor aggregate usage and web traffic routing.

Name: usy46gabsosd
Typical content: Speedtrap – which Directgov pages visited during this visit
Expires: When user exits browser (Session)

Name: directgovCSADBID
Typical content: Speedtrap – Randomly generated number
Expires: 1 year

Name: directgovCSAuvt
Typical content: Speedtrap – which Directgov pages visited and when
Expires: 1 year

Name: PHPSessID
Typical content: randomly generated number (PHP code)
Expires: when user exits browser

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.

Cookies on Directgov SHARP motorcycles helmet campaign website

The Directgov SHARP motorcycles helmet campaign website may use both session cookies and persistent cookies to improve Directgov’s service including understanding user interaction, monitor aggregate usage and web traffic routing.

Name: usy46gabsosd
Typical content: Speedtrap – which Directgov pages visited during this visit
Expires: When user exits browser (Session)

Name: directgovCSADBID
Typical content: Speedtrap – Randomly generated number
Expires: 1 year

Name: directgovCSAuvt
Typical content: Speedtrap – which Directgov pages visited and when
Expires: 1 year

Name: has_js
Typical content: Whether your browser has Javascript enabled
Expires: When user exits browser (Session)

For further details on the cookies set by Google Analytics, please refer to the Google Code website.

Changes to this privacy policy

If this privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we will share it with other parties.