Private car parks refuse to cap fines in new code of conduct

Private car park operators have refused to cap parking fines in a new code of conduct that comes into force from October.

A code of practice launched by two industry bodies aims to make rules on car parks more fair for motorists, they said.

It comes after the private parking industry successfully forced the Government to back down from introducing a legally binding code that would have capped parking penalties at £50.

The private industry’s voluntary code, which includes a 10-minute grace period for drivers to leave a car park after the period they paid for has ended, was announced on Friday.

Parking companies which belong to the two bodies will also have to use consistent signage, stick to a single set of rules and follow an “appeals charter”.

The code, sponsored by the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC), will not include caps on parking penalties or controls on debt collectors.

Private parking businesses have been accused of using misleading and confusing signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.

The new code is not legally binding on private parking operators.

‘A crucial milestone’

Andrew Pester, the chief executive of BPA, said: “This is a crucial milestone as we work closely with Government, consumer bodies and others to deliver fairer and more consistent parking standards for motorists.”

Will Hurley, the chief executive of IPC, said: “The single code will benefit all compliant motorists and will present clear consequences for those who decide to break the rules.”

A government Bill to introduce an official, legislation-backed code of conduct for parking companies received Royal Assent in March 2019.

This code was supposed to come into force across the country at the end of last year.

It included halving the cap on tickets for most parking offences to £50, creating a fairer appeals system, and banning the use of aggressive language on tickets.

But it was withdrawn by the Government in June 2022 following a legal challenge by parking companies.

‘Code does not tackle biggest issues’

Simon Williams, the head of policy at RAC, said that while there are “clearly some positive elements” to the parking companies’ voluntary code of practice, it avoided tackling the biggest issues.

“We’re flabbergasted that the BPA and the IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own private parking code after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official Government code created by an act of Parliament coming into force,” he said.

“These elements, alongside a formal appeals process, are currently being worked on by the Government and in our opinion can’t come soon enough.

“Nothing should stand in the way of the official code, least of all a new industry scheme which muddies the waters and risks confusing drivers.”

Nicholas Lyes, the director of policy and standards at charity IAM RoadSmart, said: “Drivers will wonder what has taken parking associations so long to publish the new code.

“No matter how they might dress it up, this is primarily being driven by new laws around the Government-led Parking Code of Practice, rather than a self-proclaimed gesture of being fairer to motorists.”