Parking law changes could see Britons pay more expensive fines as drivers warned
Parking changes could be introduced in the future following the call for evidence
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New parking changes could eventually be introduced to amend the fines drivers pay when breaking parking rules, with today marking the last day motorists can give their feedback to the plans.
The call for evidence suggests setting new minimum and maximum charges at between £50 and £70 for England and Wales, between £80 and £130 in London and between £80 and £100 for Scotland.
Incidents like parking in a loading bay during restricted hours, parking in a restricted area and causing an obstruction by parking will result in more expensive punishments.
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Anyone parking without a valid virtual permit or clearly displaying a valid physical permit where required will pay £100 outside of London and in a resident or staff-only car park.
The Government will also crack down on people parking in a designated disabled person’s parking place without displaying a valid disabled person’s badge in the prescribed manner, with fines of £100 outside of London potentially being handed out.
It is expected that this call for evidence and a future consultation will form the basis of the long-awaited parking code of practice.
Dehenna Davison, former Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, described parking as a “daily bugbear” and said private parking was like the “wild west”.
The MP for Bishop Auckland added: “We’re rightly moving, as a society, to greener forms of transport, but most people in the UK – 35 million – still rely on their car to get around.
“Unfair charges bite at the best of times, but especially so with current cost of living pressures.
“We’re acting to put this right by introducing a new private parking code of practice that will raise standards and put the brakes on rogue practices.
“Most motorists do not choose to break the rules deliberately and this code will make sure fewer are penalised unfairly.”
She highlighted the use of confusing and misleading signage as well as the lack of grace periods which can often catch drivers out.
The Government hopes that the consultation will shape a “simple, fairer, clearer system” that protects drivers and saves them money.
A private parking code of practice was previously set to be introduced in 2022 to protect drivers from expensive charges from non-council-run car parks.
However, this was pulled before it was set to be introduced after a legal challenge from a number of private parking companies.
The call for evidence was originally scheduled to end on September 24, with a further consultation expected to be launched in the future.
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Drivers could also benefit from parking rule amendments where charges will be reduced
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The call will end at 11.59pm on October 8, 2023, with the Government expected to release more information about the new code before it is introduced.