Drivers are set to get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges, including a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave car parks without facing a penalty once their session ends, under a new private parking code of practice announced by the government.
New Rights for Drivers
The code will give drivers the right to have charges cancelled on appeal for honest mistakes, such as stopping briefly to check directions, and for issues they cannot control, including a vehicle breakdown in a car park, a medical emergency or a broken ticket machine, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said.
For drivers who make mistakes such as forgetting parking permits, entering a vehicle registration wrong or forgetting to confirm it in a parking machine, they will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal under the new rules.
Prime Minister's Response
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "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."
"These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them. We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off."
Charge Limits and DVLA Access
The code will mean private parking charges are frozen at a maximum of £100, while operators who do not comply risk losing access to DVLA data, the government said.
Currently, private parking companies use vehicle keeper information from the DVLA to pursue parking charges.
Rise in Parking Tickets
A record 16.9 million parking tickets were handed out by private businesses in the year to the end of March, according to analysis of government data by the Press Association and motoring research charity the RAC Foundation.
That is up from 14.4 million a year earlier, and 6.8 million in 2018/19. Each ticket can be up to £100, meaning the total cost to drivers may be more than £4.6 million per day at the current rate. The parking industry has attributed the rise to an increase in the number of car parks being managed.
Scope and Oversight
The new private parking code of practice will apply in England, Scotland and Wales and will bring in a fully independent scrutiny and oversight board for the first time.
Private operators will be required to report data on the charges they issue and how appeals are handled which will then be scrutinised by the board.
The government has also announced a crackdown on second-hand car dealers who wind back mileage clocks on vehicles. While fraudulently selling a "clocked car" is already illegal, it will be added to an official list of banned practices making it easier for enforcers to address it.
