New Protections for Motorists Against Unreasonable Private Parking Charges
Drivers gain 10-minute grace period and appeal rights as government addresses rising ticket numbers and 'clocking' concerns.
Callum Smith
Motorists will receive new protections to dispute unreasonable private parking charges.
Operators failing to comply with new regulations risk losing access to DVLA data. Private parking companies could face a ban from these records if they fail to adhere to the new rules.
Andy Burnham stated, "Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat." He added that these charges leave people feeling "ripped off and out of pocket."
Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
Private companies issued 16.9 million parking tickets in the year to the end of March. This represents an increase from 14.4 million the previous year.
The new code of practice applies across England, Scotland, and Wales. Drivers will be guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park.
Private operators will submit regular reports to a new independent scrutiny and oversight board, which will also scrutinize appeals. The government will also consult on debt recovery fees and other recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority.
Separately, second-hand car dealers who wind back odometers will face tougher action. Selling a 'clocked car' is illegal under fraud laws; adding it to an official list of prohibited practices will aid enforcement.
The Government’s new Private Parking Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on Tuesday. The new code keeps the £100 limit on charges, with debt collection fees remaining untouched.
However, Greg Smith claims the Government is doubling parking fines across England. He states Labour has avoided banning the debt recovery fees. Labour, conversely, claims it expects to consult on private parking debt recovery fees, which could lead to the existing £70 cap being scrapped.