Scottish drivers will receive greater protection against unfair private parking charges under new UK Government rules, including extra time to park and leave car parks without being fined. The change introduces a five-minute period for drivers to decide whether to park, while motorists will also have 10 minutes to leave a car park after their paid-for session ends.
The new code of practice will apply across Scotland, as well as England and Wales, and it will give drivers more opportunities to appeal penalties issued by private parking firms. Under the rules, charges should be cancelled on appeal where motorists have made genuine mistakes or there have been circumstances beyond their control that have prevented them from following parking rules.
This includes drivers who briefly stop to check directions, experience a vehicle breakdown, face a medical emergency or find that a parking ticket machine is not working. Drivers who forget to display a parking permit, enter their registration number incorrectly or fail to confirm their details at a payment machine will also benefit from a reduced charge. In these cases, the maximum penalty following an appeal will be £20.
What the changes will mean for drivers
The UK Government said the changes are designed to make parking rules fairer, while tackling companies that issue excessive charges for minor errors. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your number plate 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.”
The reform will also cap private parking charges at £100, with operators who fail to follow the new code risking losing access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data. Parking companies currently rely on information held by the DVLA to identify vehicle keepers and pursue unpaid charges.
Record number of private parking tickets issued
The changes come after a sharp rise in the number of parking tickets issued by private firms across the UK. Analysis of Government figures found that a record 16.9 million tickets were handed out in the year to the end of March, up from 14.4 million the previous year and 6.8 million in 2018/19.
With individual charges reaching £100, the volume of tickets could leave motorists facing millions of pounds in penalties every day. The parking industry has attributed the increase to more car parks being brought under private management in recent years.
As part of the new measures, an independent scrutiny and oversight board will be introduced to monitor the industry for the first time. Private parking operators will have to provide information about the penalties they issue and how they deal with appeals, allowing the board to examine whether firms are complying with the rules.
