Parking fines slashed to £50 in a bid to stop private firms 'extorting' money from motorists

7 February 2022, 21:59

Parking fines are set to be slashed by 50% under new government plans to cap "aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees" from private parking companies.

Under a new Parking Code of Practice, the maximum fine issued to motorists in private car parks will be reduced from £100 to £50 for most cases in England and Wales.

Private car parks will also have to display prices more clearly, use a fairer appeal system and give drivers a 10-minute grace period for lateness, but the new rules will not apply in London.

It comes after Minister for levelling up, Neil O'Brien, hit out at private firms for "adopting a system of misleading and confusing signage designed to extort money from motorists", revealing a whopping 22,000 parking tickets are issued every day.

Under the new code, private firms who breach the rules could also be banned from collecting fines in future, by having their access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data cut off.

Mr O'Brien, said the new measures aim to protect motorists: "Private firms issue roughly 22,000 parking tickets every day, often adopting a system of misleading and confusing signage, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees designed to extort money from motorists.

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"The new Code Of Practice will set out a clear vision with the interests of safe motorists at its heart, while cracking down on the worst offenders who put other people in danger and hinder our emergency services from carrying out their duties."

The maximum charge is set to be reduced to £50 in most cases, or £70 for more serious breaches.

Vehicle insurance and breakdown companies the AA and RAC have welcomed the new code.

President of the AA, Edmund King, said: "These much-needed upgrades to private parking rules will give better protection to drivers.

"For too long, those caught by private parking firms simply pay the charge to get rid of it. Thankfully these days are numbered.

"Drivers should feel confident that having a single Code of Practice and a new Appeals Charter will give them confidence to appeal and be properly heard.

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"We are also pleased that honest mistakes, like mistyping the car registration into the machine, will now be automatically cancelled."

RAC head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, added: "The RAC has campaigned for years to end the sharp practices in the private parking sector, so we welcome the new national code that will usher in higher standards and will introduce a lower cap on penalty charge notices, an independent appeals system and an end to rip-off debt collection fees.

"This will undoubtedly make drivers' experience of using private car parks fairer while at the same time force rogue operators to clean up their acts once and for all."