Drivers in England face £300 fine after breaking rule to secure 'better' bay

Parents are forced to park in smaller spaces as drivers admit to breaking parking rules for "better" bays. A third of drivers break parent and child rules to ensure they are parking in "better" bays - but drivers can be fined up to £300 for doing so.

37 per cent of parents with young children have had to park in regular spots due to the designated spaces being used up. Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, said: “Parents will be all too familiar with having to drive countless loops of a car park to find an available parent and child bay, only to see that the already limited spaces have been taken by those without kids.”

Mantel added that the “squeeze” faced by parents because of widening cars and parking bays particularly impacts those with newborn baby seats who need additional space to get babies out of their cars.

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He warned: “Misusing parent and child bays not only inconveniences parents who genuinely need them, it can also result in a hefty Parking Charge Notice.” ‘Parent and child’ parking bays not only have the benefit of being located closer to building entrances, they offer an average of 120cm extra space between bays, which gives drivers a total of 150cm of room to park and get in and out of their vehicle safely.

The ew study carried out by insurer Churchill questioned 2,000 drivers and an additional 500 parents of children under 14 and 542 with children aged from zero to six about their parking habits and experiences. Rules dictate that the designated bays are only for use by parents or guardians who are taking a child under 12 into the shop with them.

Seven in ten (71 per cent) parents who drive say they have struggled to get their child into their car seat because there wasn't enough space. And one in four (23 per cent) parents with children aged 14 and under often have to let their kids get out of the car before they can park in a space due to a lack of room.