New Code of Practice to provide greater parking regulation

Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced a new Code of Practice to bring greater regulation, making it easier for drivers to challenge unfair parking tickets and supporting our local shops.

The move means that private parking firms would be required to give drivers a 10-minute grace period after their tickets expire. 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.

Jenrick 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. That’s why we’ve appointed the British Standards Institution to work with consumer groups and industry to write the first ever compulsory Code of Practice for private parking firms. The new Code will restore common sense to the way parking fines are handed out, encourage people back onto our high-streets and crack down on dodgy operators who use aggressive tactics to harass drivers.”