Motorists may soon be granted more than five minutes to settle their car parking fees in light of a recent overhaul.
At present, private parking facilities provide drivers with a brief five-minute window to purchase their parking ticket prior to facing potential penalties.
However, this regulation is set for examination following an incident where body-builder and makeup artist Rosey Hudson was fined £1,906 by a private organization in Derby for consistently exceeding the time allowed to procure her ticket.
She contested the fine, arguing that the absence of a ticket machine at the car park, coupled with inadequate mobile signal, forced her to walk considerable distances in order to obtain her ticket through an application on her smartphone.
Ms. Hudson was later summoned to court, but ultimately, the penalty was revoked.
The British Parking Association (BPA) alongside the International Parking Community (IPC) has announced the formation of a new panel dedicated to revising their private parking code of conduct—previously implemented last year—to ensure that it “safeguards genuine motorists experiencing challenges with prompt payments upon entry.”
Furthermore, the panel is committed to “accelerating updates to the code in accordance with technological innovations.”
There are expectations that the five-minute stipulation could be eased as soon as February 1.
The panel is tasked with a comprehensive reassessment of the code of conduct.
This development comes in the wake of claims that private parking enterprises have engaged in misleading practices, aggressive debt recovery, and excessive fines.
In November, it was reported that an average of 41,000 parking citations are issued daily by these companies.
According to analysis from Government data performed by the PA news agency and the motoring research organization the RAC Foundation, a staggering 3.8 million tickets were distributed from July to September 2024.
Each citation may reach up to £100, implying that motorists could be facing approximately £4.1 million in total charges every day.
A Bill to facilitate the introduction of a Government-supported code of conduct for private parking operators received royal assent from the Conservative administration in March 2019.
This Bill was retracted in June 2022 following a legal challenge mounted by parking companies.
The proposed code aimed to halve the maximum fines for most parking infractions to £50, establish a more equitable appeals procedure, and prohibit the use of aggressive language on penalties.
Subsequently, the BPA and IPC unveiled their own code of practice in June.
Will Hurley, CEO of IPC, remarked, “The establishment of the panel underscores the industry’s resolve to enhance the standing of our sector.”
“We must remember the essential service we provide, enabling the vast majority to park conveniently when needed.”
BPA CEO Andrew Pester commented, “We aim to prove that we are committed not only to elevating standards but also to making necessary revisions to the code as problems arise.”
Regarding the five-minute stipulation, both organizations highlighted that “many car parks … require payment upon entry” and emphasized the necessity for drivers to “read signage and adhere to instructions.”
Rod Dennis, a senior policy officer from RAC, stated, “The fact that the private parking industry is compelled to review its own code, merely months after its inception, indicates that it does not serve the interests of drivers.”
“This reinforces the urgent need for the long-awaited official Private Parking Code of Practice, which became law five years ago.”
“We are concerned that, without this, individuals using private car parks will continue to face adverse consequences.”
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