The government has implemented a new statutory Private Parking Code of Practice, laid before Parliament, to establish standards for private parking operators and address complaints about excessive charges. The initiative follows high-profile cases, including that of a driver charged £1,906 for failing to pay within five minutes at a Derby car park, which was subsequently raised in Parliament.
The code provides drivers with specific protections, including a minimum five-minute consideration period to decide whether to park and a 10-minute grace period after their permitted stay ends. Maximum charges are capped at £100, or £60 if paid within two weeks. For qualifying circumstances—such as not displaying a valid permit, incorrect vehicle registration entry, or missing Blue Badge display—charges can be reduced to £20 on appeal. The code also establishes grounds for charge cancellation, including sudden illness, delayed medical appointments, childcare complications, and vehicle breakdowns.
Compliance mechanisms include potential removal of operators’ access to DVLA vehicle keeper data, which is necessary for issuing parking charges. The code will be subject to a 40-day parliamentary scrutiny period before formally taking effect 21 days after issuance. An independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board will provide governance oversight.
Motoring organizations including the AA and RAC have welcomed the statutory approach, noting that government backing distinguishes it from the industry’s previous self-regulated code. However, both groups argue the code does not extend far enough. Key concerns include the absence of a single independent appeals process and the retention of debt recovery fees, which campaigners contend often escalate disputes into legal action and County Court Judgments. The AA and RAC have called for alternative mechanisms to debt recovery fees and a unified independent appeals body to replace existing industry-run processes.
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