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Thu, 16 Jul 2026

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 Investigation into parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol stations

It's part of a wider crackdown from the consumer regulator into potentially unfair practices by private parking operators.
Research has shown that the number of parking tickets issued in places like supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks more than doubled in six years, reaching 14.4 million. Motorists have complained about unclear signage, faulty apps and broken ticket machines. The CMA is also looking into Euro Car Parks' broader appeals process to see if it breaches consumer protection law. The regulator has warned private parking operators that they must treat motorists fairly at all stages of the process and ensure a clear and consistent appeals process is in place. Euro Car Parks, which operates over 3,000 facilities across the UK and Ireland, is being investigated for issuing parking charges to drivers while queuing for petrol pumps or using other forecourt services. The CMA's investigation will continue until Spring 2027. Private parking operators have been warned by the CMA to review their terms and conditions and make changes if necessary to ensure they comply with consumer law.