More than 18,000 parking tickets are issued to drivers in the UK every single day

At least 18,000 parking tickets are dished out to British drivers every single day.

Each resultant penalty charge can cost drivers up to £100.

The records of 1.7 million vehicle keepers were requested by parking management firms in the second quarter of 2018/19, according to RAC Foundation analysis of Government data.

This staggering figure is the highest number of parking tickets on record for one quarter and represents a 20% increase year-on-year.

Parking companies obtain records from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to pursue vehicle owners for potential infringements in private car parks at locations such as at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service stations.

A Private Member’s Bill which would prompt introduction of a code of conduct for private car park operators is back before Parliament today.

The Government has committed to support ex-Tory minister Sir Greg Knight‘s Parking (Code of Practice) Bill, which is at the report stage in the Commons.

“Parking should be an inconsequential act with the system working for both drivers and land owners. But yet again we see numbers that suggest the relationship is going badly wrong.

“It is surely inconceivable that 18,000 drivers a day are knowingly setting out to ignore parking rules and attract penalties of up to £100,” RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said.

“Frankly we think Sir Greg Knight’s Private Member’s Bill can’t come into law too soon, bringing the era of self-regulation of private parking to a close with firms having to abide by a code of practice signed off by ministers.”

The DVLA charges private firms £2.50 per record, but the agency insist its charges are in force to recoup the cost of providing the information and it does not make any money from the process.

Here are the number of vehicle keeper records obtained from the DVLA by parking management companies since 2006/07:

• 2017/18 5.65 million

• 2016/17 4.71 million

• 2015/16 3.67 million

• 2014/15 3.06 million

• 2013/14 2.43 million

• 2012/13 1.89 million

• 2011/12 1.57 million

• 2010/11 1.17 million

• 2009/10 1.03 million

• 2008/09 687,000

• 2007/08 499,000

• 2006/07 272,000