Call for new £50 cap on private car park fines to protect drivers

Fines imposed by private parking firms should be capped at £50, campaigners have urged the government.

Labour is currently consulting on a new legally enforceable code of practice to oversee car park operators, after the Tories dropped a previous attempt.

At the moment the industry polices itself. It comes amid fury among motorists who say they are being unfairly treated by operators, hit with hefty fines, and then chased by debt collectors if they refuse to pay up.

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The promised crackdown follows analysis by the RAC found private parking firms issued a record 14.4 million tickets to drivers over the 12 months ending March this year.

Government data also shows a surge in car park management companies requesting details of vehicle owners from the DVLA in order to issue fines to drivers. The figure has increased from 1.9 million in 2012 to 8.4 million in 2019, and 12.8 million in 2024.

The industry’s own parking code of practice came into force in October last year. It introduced several new measures, including a 10-minute grace period, more consistent signage and a cap on charges of £100.

But it only applies to members of the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community and some aspects will not come into force until December 2026.

Consumer group Which? wants the maximum fine to be capped at £50, and for operators to be forced to show clear signage in car parks. Confusing signage is a big gripe for drivers, with an RAC survey last year finding that nearly eight out of 10 people who read parking signs had issues with seeing or understanding them.

The Conservative government was was due to introduce a statutory parking code, but this was withdrawn following legal challenges lodged by several parking firms.

Among the other demand from Which? are forcing firms to consider mitigating circumstances, such as a medical emergency or a vehicle breakdown, when a fine has been issued. It says that, in such situations, the penalty should be cancelled, not just reduced as is the case under the current system.

And it has slammed parking firms for being allowed to claim debt recovery fees automatically, as they can add an extra £70 to your fine. Finally, it wants the government to introduce a single, independent appeals service to make it easier for drivers to challenge fines they believe have been wrongly issued.

Alex Norris MP, previously a minister at the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government and now at the Home Office, said after launching the consultation in July: “The private parking industry plays an important role in supporting our local economies and high streets. But we continue to hear reports of poor behaviour by parking operators that make it difficult for motorists to comply with the terms and conditions and leave them open to parking charges and escalating costs.”

Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer rights policy, said: “For far too long, drivers have faced a lottery of rules when using private car parks - which can all too easily result in parking charge notices even when motorists do their best to follow them.

“We frequently hear from people who have been treated unfairly by private parking companies or the debt recovery companies they employ.

“While the industry has attempted to clean up its act by creating its own Code of Practice, it hasn’t gone far enough to protect consumers from unscrupulous behaviour.”

The British Parking Association said it welcomed the government’s consultation, adding: “We believe the proposals are pragmatic and we are committed to working constructively with stakeholders to deliver a fair and effective system for all road users.
“Reducing the level of the parking charge would risk undermining compliance.

“It would effectively reward those who break the rules at the expense of the vast majority of motorists who play fair and are frustrated by drivers misusing parent-and-child bays, blue badge bays, and other restricted spaces.

“An effective deterrent is essential to protect responsible motorists and ensure parking spaces are used as intended. That is why we believe retaining the £100 cap on Parking Charges, together with the £70 debt resolution fee, remains the right and proportionate approach.”