Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner have unveiled new rights for drivers to challenge unfair private parking charges, including a £20 cap on appeal for honest mistakes and guaranteed grace periods to park and leave.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice, laid in Parliament on Tuesday, drivers will get a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and ten minutes to leave once their session ends.
Charges will be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, such as stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations outside a driver's control, including a medical emergency, a breakdown or a broken ticket machine.
For smaller slip-ups, like forgetting a parking permit or entering the wrong registration, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal. The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100.
Andy Burnham: 'I'm putting a stop to them'
"Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn't end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat," Andy Burnham said.
"These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I'm putting a stop to them. We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off."
Operators who do not comply risk losing access to DVLA data, making it far harder for them to identify a vehicle's registered owner and pursue payment. A fully independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board will also be set up to check the Code is working.
Angela Rayner: 'A fairer deal'
"Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle," Angela Rayner said. "These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard."
Just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year. The government has also promised to consult next year on parking debt recovery fees, including whether to cut the existing £70 cap or scrap the fees altogether.
Crackdown on car clocking
Second-hand car dealers who wind back odometers to disguise a vehicle's true mileage will also face tougher action, with car clocking added to the official list of banned practices.
Consumer minister Kate Dearden said: "Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after."
The measures are the latest in the Prime Minister's series of everyday fixes, following action on unfair airline charges, subscription traps, rogue traders and the cost of school uniforms.
