Drivers urge Labour over £50 car parking change after fines break records

Campaigners are calling for a £50 cap on private parking fines, urging the government to take action after a record-breaking number of yellow notices were left on drivers' windscreens.

Labour is currently carrying out a consultation over a new legally enforceable code of practice to regulate car park operators, following the Tories' previous failed attempts to bring the industry to heel.

Presently, the industry self-regulates, leading to outrage among drivers who claim they are being unjustly targeted by operators, slapped with exorbitant fines and pursued by debt collectors if they refuse to pay. This proposed crackdown comes after an RAC analysis revealed that private parking firms issued a record 14.4 million tickets to drivers in the year ending March this year.

Government data also indicates a surge in car park management companies requesting vehicle owner details from the DVLA to issue fines to drivers. The figure has risen 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 was implemented in October last year, introducing several new measures including a 10-minute grace period, more consistent signage and a cap on charges at £100. However, it only applies to members of the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community, and some aspects will not be enforced until December 2026.

Consumer watchdog Which? is calling for a cap on fines at £50 and demanding clear signage in car parks, following complaints from drivers about confusing signs. An RAC survey last year revealed that nearly eight out of 10 people who read parking signs had issues with seeing or understanding them.

The Tory government had planned to introduce a statutory parking code, but this was withdrawn after several parking firms lodged legal challenges, reports the Mirror.

Which? is also urging firms to take into account mitigating circumstances, such as a medical emergency or vehicle breakdown, when issuing a fine. The consumer group argues that in these situations, the penalty should be cancelled, not merely reduced as per the current system.

The watchdog has criticised parking firms for being permitted to automatically claim debt recovery fees, which can add an extra £70 to your fine. It is calling on the government to establish a single, independent appeals service to simplify the process for drivers challenging fines they believe have been unjustly issued.

Alex Norris MP, formerly a minister at the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government and now serving in the Home Office, stated after initiating 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, commented: "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 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."

They argued that reducing the level of the parking charge could 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."