Private parking companies "don't want to issue parking charges", an industry leader has insisted, despite around 41,000 tickets being handed out in Britain each day.
In the six months to the end of September 2024, car park management companies made 7.2 million requests to the DVLA for vehicle keeper records, representing a 12 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier.
The figures indicate an average of 41,000 requests per day, compared to just 24,000 daily in the six months to September 2019.
Private parking businesses have faced accusations of using misleading signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.
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The boss of one of the UK's biggest parking companies has denied claims that drivers were being targeted
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The International Parking Community claims this jump in tickets is "directly linked" to the number of UK locations being managed by parking companies.
These locations are now more than five times higher than in 2012, alongside a 21 per cent increase in registered vehicles over the same period.
Private companies chase vehicle owners for alleged infringements in private car parks, such as at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service areas.
Common infractions include not entering registration correctly, overstaying or not parking within a bay. Each ticket can be up to £100, with a minimum discount of 40 per cent if paid within 14 days.
Several motorists have reported issues with parking machines in recent months
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Will Hurley, chief executive of the IPC, said operators want drivers to park "where they need to, when they need to" without breaking any rules.
Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: "Any business is there to make money. But the reality is, the vast majority of money that comes in in the parking industry comes from people paying for parking."
Mr Hurley claimed it is "easy to beat the system" for anyone concerned about unfair Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). "If you're thinking about it, just don't park in a way that gets a parking charge," he added.
The latest published accounts for ParkingEye, the UK's biggest private parking company, show it made a pre-tax profit of £16.1million in 2023, a significant increase from £10.9million a year earlier.
These figures highlight the profitability of the private parking sector despite industry claims that they don't want to issue charges. Mr Hurley insisted that parking operators primarily want compliance rather than issuing fines.
Hurley said the IPC was looking to introduce "minimum standards" for motorists using payment displays, which would see motorists confirm their registration number before they pay.
A Bill to enable the introduction of a Government-backed Code of Practice for private parking companies received royal assent under the Conservatives in March 2019. However, the Code was withdrawn in June 2022 following a legal challenge by parking companies.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has stated it will provide further details on re-introducing the Code "as soon as possible". Parliament will host a Westminster Hall debate on the sector today.
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Experts have continually called for a code of standards to be introduced at car parks
PARAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "If private companies really don't want to issue tickets, they should make their signs clearer and easier to understand.
"Avoiding a charge is the opposite of easy in some locations. The fact remains the Government's Code of Practice needs to be brought in as soon as possible."
