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New regulations introduced by Andy Burnham aim to give drivers greater protection against excessively high private parking fines and offer more leniency when using private parking facilities. These reforms follow growing complaints from motorists who felt that penalties imposed by private companies were disproportionately severe and unfairly targeted.
One notable incident highlights the problem: a woman faced a court claim of £1,906 after exceeding the five-minute payment window at a car park in Derby, although the charge was later withdrawn. While there is already a voluntary industry code of practice for private parking operators, the RAC motoring group welcomed the government’s intervention as a necessary step to safeguard drivers from some questionable practices of private parking companies.
Burnham emphasized the need for fairness, stating, “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.” The new guidelines will grant drivers a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park, a grace period of ten minutes to leave without penalty, and exemptions from charges in specific situations beyond their control, such as vehicle breakdowns in car parks or malfunctioning ticket machines. Additionally, fines for minor infractions, including entering incorrect vehicle registration details or forgetting a parking permit, will be capped at £20 on appeal, while the maximum charge will be capped at £100—the current limit under the private parking Code of Practice.
Operators failing to adhere to these regulations risk losing access to DVLA data, which would impede their ability to identify vehicle owners and enforce parking penalties. Unlike council-run car parks, private parking operators issued a record 17 million tickets in 2025/2026, a 17% increase from the previous year. Analysis suggests that these charges could collectively amount to more than £4.6 million daily, given the maximum charge of £100 per ticket.
The prevalence of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by private operators has caused widespread frustration among drivers, with many opting to pay fines even when they believe they are unjust, simply to avoid the stress and legal challenges of disputing them. The existing industry Code of Practice, developed by the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community in 2024, has failed to convince many motorists that appeals processes are fair and impartial. This dissatisfaction has prompted the government to seek statutory regulation and independent oversight of the private parking industry across England, Scotland, and Wales.
Commenting on the new measures, Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said drivers “finally have something which could offer them better protections against the worst private parking operators,” adding that previously many motorists faced aggressive tactics that pressured them into paying unfair fines. Meanwhile, Simon Williams from the RAC expressed that while the changes mark progress, they do not go far enough. He advocates for banning additional debt recovery fees on top of PCNs and replacing the current industry-run appeals bodies with a single, independent organization. The government has announced it will consult further on the issue of debt recovery fees and other recommendations put forward by the Competition and Markets Authority
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