The UK parking industry is facing scrutiny over excessive fines, with MPs calling for tougher regulations in private car parks. Drivers have been penalized for late payment or other reasons, and statistics show that car park operators are issuing more parking charge notices than ever before.
Calls for Tougher Regulations in Private Parking Industry
The private parking industry has been under scrutiny lately due to numerous complaints from drivers who have been penalized for late payment or other reasons. In a recent case, Rosey Hudson was asked to pay £1,906 after taking longer than five minutes to pay for parking at the Copeland Street car park in Derby.
MPs Call for Statutory Regulation
Derby South MP Baggy Shanker has received numerous complaints about private car parks and believes that the sector should not be left to regulate itself. He is among 12 MPs who are calling on the government to introduce a statutory code of practice that private car park operators must follow.
Shanker argues that the voluntary code introduced by the British Parking Association (BPA) and International Parking Community (IPC) is not strong enough and is not being adhered to properly. He believes that only a mandatory code can resolve the issues faced by drivers.
Complaints about Private Car Parks
The MPs’ letter to local growth minister Alex Norris highlights numerous complaints from drivers who have faced significant financial penalties for late payment, even when they made genuine efforts to comply. Contributing factors include unclear or misleading signage, malfunctioning payment machines, and insufficient alternative methods for purchasing tickets.
DVLA Statistics Show Increasing Number of PCNs
Statistics published by the DVLA suggest that car park operators are issuing more parking charge notices (PCNs) than ever before. In the first half of the 2024-25 financial year, car park operators paid the DVLA for 7,236,328 keeper details, compared to 4,770,984 for the entire 2016-17 financial year.
Industry Response
The BPA and IPC have introduced a joint code of practice in response to the government’s previous code being withdrawn due to legal challenges. However, they are also supportive of the government introducing a statutory code of practice. Will Hurley, chief executive of the IPC, said that his association implemented the vast majority of the government’s original code.
Concerns about Industry- Owned Associations
Luke Harrison, a solicitor who has helped people fight PCNs free of charge, is skeptical about the sector’s pledge to change. He believes that industry-owned associations often set up codes of practice as a way to avoid regulation and then claim they have already implemented changes.
Government Response
The government is expected to make an announcement on plans for a parking code of practice soon. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said that motorists must be protected when using private car parks and that the government will drive up standards in the industry.
