Labour Accused of 'Surrendering' to Private Parking Firms Over Ticket Cap Rejection

Labour is facing accusations of surrendering to private parking firms after ministers rejected proposals that could have saved drivers up to £1.6 billion.

The government's revised Private Parking Code of Practice includes a cap of £100 on private parking tickets, a limit that was already in place. Critics pointed out that the government's own impact assessment revealed ministers rejected the option of lowering this cap to £80, a move that could have benefited drivers.

Additionally, the proposal to increase the discount for early payment of private parking tickets from 40% to 50% within 14 days was also dismissed. This 50% discount is already standard for council-issued tickets, and campaigners have advocated for parity with private firms.

The impact assessment stated that implementing an £80 cap alongside a 50% early payment discount could have saved drivers approximately £1.6 billion over a 10-year period. The assessment noted this option was "favourable as it could ease the cost of living pressure." However, ministers cited concerns that reduced revenue for firms might lead to increased parking charges.

Tory shadow transport minister Greg Smith criticized the overhaul, stating, "Labour must think we’re fools." Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK group, echoed these sentiments, saying, "Labour has bottled it." He added, "Ministers were handed the chance to save motorists £1.6 billion, curb excessive parking penalties and create a genuinely independent appeals system. Instead, they sided with the parking industry and abandoned drivers. This isn't a crackdown on rogue operators; it's a surrender to them."

Ministers also faced criticism for not establishing an independent appeals process for private parking tickets. Currently, drivers must appeal to bodies funded by the private firms themselves, which critics argue compromises the fairness of the process.

The new code does include some changes, such as a ban on automatically charging motorists for entering a car park without paying and providing at least ten minutes for drivers to leave after their parking session expires. Drivers making minor errors, like incorrectly entering a number plate, could face a maximum fine of £20 on appeal. Fines will not be issued if a parking machine is out of order.

Despite these new measures, motoring groups like the RAC and AA expressed disappointment that measures such as banning debt recovery fees and implementing a single independent appeals body were not included. The number of private car parks has significantly increased, from approximately 10,000 in 2012 to nearly 50,000 today. Concurrently, the number of private parking fines issued has risen to nearly 14.4 million annually, a 148% increase since 2019.

The local government department, responsible for drafting the new rules, was contacted for comment.