Private Parking Code of Practice: Five years on and still no progress
Frustration continues to grow among drivers as the Government’s Private Parking Code of Practice remains in limbo five years after its announcement. Despite being backed by an act of Parliament in 2019 to address concerns about rogue private parking operators, the code has yet to come into force due to legal challenges from industry players.
According to a survey by the RAC, the delay is seen as unacceptable by 84% of drivers. Just 2% of respondents believe private parking firms treat drivers fairly when rules are broken, and only 3% feel their charges are reasonable. More than half (55%) think enforcement practices are overly aggressive, with 40% stating such measures are unjustified. Nearly eight-in-10 drivers (78%) view private parking companies as being solely motivated by profit, though 18% acknowledge their role in preventing parking chaos.
Concerns also extend to the costs of penalties. While 65% of drivers accept fines in principle, they see them as excessive compared to the alleged contraventions.
Efforts to establish an official code of practice are ongoing. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is working towards its introduction, but in the meantime, private industry bodies—the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community—introduced their own version on 1 October. However, this industry-led code lacks legal weight and is met with scepticism, with 87% of surveyed drivers doubting its fairness.
The official government code promises substantial reforms, including limits on fine amounts and debt recovery fees, a single independent appeals process, and stricter rules for operators. Those failing to comply could lose the right to operate. Key provisions aim to improve signage clarity, ensure proper evidence of contraventions, and protect vulnerable customers.
Signage remains a contentious issue. The RAC survey found that 27% of drivers did not notice signage about parking charges, while 38% admitted seeing but not reading it. Of those who did, 76% had difficulty understanding the terms, leaving only 20% confident in their clarity.
The lack of progress leaves drivers facing inconsistent practices and punitive penalties, with no clear timeline for change. The introduction of a government-backed code could provide much-needed clarity and fairness, but for now, the wait continues.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s blatantly apparent from our research that drivers continue to have severe misgivings about the way private parking companies operate and are therefore very frustrated that the official government-backed code of practice has still not been introduced more than five years after it became law.
“While this lack of trust may be partly addressed by the launch of the industry’s own code of practice, we suspect it’s unlikely to be enough as it’s not worded to be in the interest of drivers and, crucially, isn’t backed by law.
“We feel only the introduction of the real, government-backed code will bring much-needed fairness to the entire private parking sector. We badly need an acceptable cap on parking charge notices, along with a cap on debt recovery fees as, in our opinion, both are disproportionate to most parking contraventions. Finally, a truly independent single appeals system is needed for those who feel their initial appeal to the company concerned has not been listened to.”
