Fri, 11 Jul 2025

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 Government code aims to stop unfair parking charges

The government wants to stop people being "unfairly penalised" by private car park operators.

* A new code, called the Private Parking Code of Practice, aims to create a "fairer and more transparent" system
* The code is in response to concerns from drivers who have been unfairly penalized by private car park operators
* The previous code was withdrawn after legal challenges from several parking firms
* Drivers can be fined hundreds or even thousands of pounds for alleged breaches such as taking too long to pay, or keying in their vehicle registration plates incorrectly
* The new code proposes a £100 cap on parking charges, which is higher than the £50 previously proposed
* The AA has expressed concerns that the government's proposals do not go far enough and have bent to pressure from the private parking industry
* Statistics show that private car park operators are issuing more PCNs (parking charge notices) than ever before, with a 673% increase since 2012
* Under the new code, operators that breach the code may lose their ability to get drivers' details from the DVLA
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