BBC News, East Midlands
BBCThe government has initiated a consultation on a new code by private car park operators to prevent people from being “wrongly punished”.
This follows the concerns raised by the drivers including Rosie Hudson, Who was asked to pay £ 1,906 to take more than five minutes to pay In a car park in Derby.
The government said the new private parking code of practice is “aimed to create a fair, more transparent private parking system”.
The British Parking Association, one of the two trade associations, who oversees the industry, has said that it will work closely with the government during consultation.
Local Development Minister and Nottingham North and Kimberly MP Alex Noris said: “From shopping on his local high street to visit a loved one in the hospital, parking is part of everyday life. But many people are being wrongly punished.
“This is why our code will deal with misleading strategy and misleading processes, bringing significant inspection and transparency to increase the standards throughout the board.”
The previous government published a practice code in February 2022 and it was Due to implementation by the end of 2023,
However, it was withdrawn after the legal challenges initiated by several parking firms.
This meant that the private parking area was left to regulate itself, with two recognized trade associations called the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC).
Car park operators, who are members of these associations, can get the names and addresses of drivers from the driver and vehicle licensing agency (DVLA) and can allegedly issue a parking charge notice (PCNS) to dissolve terms and conditions.
Due to this, drivers have been asked to make hundreds of payments and Sometimes thousands of pounds For violations such as taking too long to pay, or Their vehicle registration is incorrectly important in plates,
The government said that its new measures will prevent allegations due to issues like payment machine errors, casual types or bad mobile signals.
However, AA believes that the government’s proposals do not go far away.
Jack Kuson, the head of the Rhodes Policy, said: “It will not make the long -awaited consulting drivers happy and suggests that the government is bending the knee in the private parking industry.”
Their concerns include a cap of £ 100 on the parking fee, which exceeds the first proposed £ 50.
“We urge all the drivers to complete the consultation and present their thoughts and experiences while working with private parking firms,” he said.
Hannah RobinsonStatistics published by dvla Suggest that private car park operators are issuing more PCNs than ever.
He paid DVLA for 12.8 million keeper details in the last financial year, which is an increase of 673% since 2012.
“While it partially reflects more parking locations, the current system lacks independent monitoring and adequate transparency,” said the Ministry of Housing, communities and local government.
“Currently, operators can avoid restrictions for poor practice, allowing motorists to be left unsafe or unsafe for incorrect fees. The new compliance structure will ensure accountability.”
Under proposals, the operator who dissolves the code may be able to get details of drivers from DVLA.
Eight weeks of consultation is due to closure on 5 September and People can give their views online,
The BPA said it would work closely with the government during consultation, but said that the new code should be allowed for “proper enforcement”.
“Without proper enforcement, parking quickly becomes a free-for-all, some people took advantage of others,” a statement said.
“When the blank space is misused, it is often at the cost of those who require them the most, such as parents, young children and parents with local residents.
“We believe that parking systems should make a balance: they should stop selfish and anti -social behavior, but they should also be fair, proportional and transparent.”
