Government Clampdown On Private Car Parks – New Rules
Tuesday, 5. November 2019
Private parking firms could be required to give drivers a 10-minute grace period after their tickets expire, as the Government unveils plans to clamp down on “rogue operators”.
Local Government secretary Robert Jenrick has instructed the British Standards Institution to write a new code of practice for private car park operators, forcing them to operate in-line with council-run sites.
Companies that fail to comply with the regulations will no longer be able to retrieve vehicle keeper details from the DVLA.
A 10-minute grace period was introduced for all council car parks in England in 2015, but remains voluntary for private parking firms.
Under new legislation, all private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales will have to give motorists an extra 10 minute before issuing a late fine.
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.
“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.”
Other measures include a reduction of intimidating debt collection practices by private parking companies, and an independent appeals service, which will give motorists further support to challenge unnecessary parking tickets.
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act became law in March 2019 and builds on action the government has already taken to reduce rogue private parking firms’ actions, including banning wheel clamping, towing and stopping rash parking enforcement. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
