The UK government has introduced a statutory Private Parking Code of Practice to regulate charges imposed by private car park operators, following complaints that some firms have issued excessive fines for minor infractions.
The new code was laid before Parliament on Tuesday and comes after cases such as that of Rosey Greenwood, who was ordered to pay £1,906 for parking at a Derby car park. Greenwood had paid for parking each time but exceeded the car park's five-minute payment window, which breached its terms and conditions. Housing and Communities Minister Florence Eshalomi said the code "will give drivers a range of rights and protections to make these unfair practices a thing of the past."
The code sets maximum parking charges at £100, or £60 if paid within a fortnight. It requires parking operators to provide drivers with a minimum five-minute consideration period before deciding whether to park, and a 10-minute grace period after their permitted stay ends. Charges must be cancelled, rather than merely reduced, if a driver or passenger experiences the onset of illness, delays from overrunning medical appointments, childcare delays, or vehicle breakdown. The code also sets reduced appeal charges at £20 for specific errors: failing to display a valid permit, entering wrong registration details, not entering registration, or not displaying a Blue Badge.
The government code is subject to 40 days of parliamentary scrutiny before taking effect 21 calendar days after formal issue. Parking operators who fail to comply will lose access to DVLA vehicle keeper data, preventing them from issuing charges.
The Automobile Association and RAC have welcomed the statutory code, which they campaigned for, but argue it does not go far enough. The AA's Jack Cousens said the benefit is that the government now holds authority over the code rather than the parking sector itself. However, both organizations call for a single independent appeals process and argue that debt recovery fees, which currently stand at £70 per charge and can spiral into court action, need to be replaced with an alternative system.
Many provisions in the government code mirror existing standards in the private sector's code of practice, including the five-minute consideration period and 10-minute grace period. Campaigners say enforcement of existing rules has been weak, though the government insists future enforcement will improve through an independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board.