Private parking firms would be required to give drivers a 10-minute grace period after their tickets expire as part of the government’s clamp down on rogue car parks, under proposals unveiled by Local Government Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP.
A new Code of Practice is to be developed by the British Standards Institution to bring greater regulation to the British private parking industry, making it easier for drivers to challenge unfair parking tickets and supporting our local shops.
A 10-minute grace period was introduced for all council car parks in England in 2015, but is currently voluntary for private parking firms. Under measures being considered, all private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales will have to give motorists up to 10 minutes before issuing a late fine.
Extra measures to crackdown on intimidating and aggressive debt collection practices by private parking companies will also be considered as part of the Code.
Unlike existing voluntary codes set by industry, the new Code will be mandatory and provide a single set of rules to follow. Rogue firms which break the Code will be barred from requesting Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data, making them unable to pursue motorists for their charges.
Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said:
For too long rogue parking firms have operated in an unregulated industry, handing out unjust fines, putting drivers through baffling appeals processes and issuing tickets to motorists who were only seconds late back to their cars.
