Rise in Private Parking Fines
New data shows a rise in private parking fines during the pandemic.
Despite the drop in traffic due to Covid, reports show parking fines for private areas are reaching a near-record high.
The data found UK drivers have racked up over £840 million in private parking fines last year. This is despite there being fewer drivers on the road during the pandemic. Private parking fines have a penalty cap of £100.
The research also found that the first quarter of 2021 saw 1.95 million drivers charged with parking fines. This is nearly 4 times the amount compared to last year which saw 497,678 drivers charged.
RAC Study
A study from the RAC Foundation found that there was also an increase in private parking fine operators. Over the last 5 years, 159 companies accessed Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) car ownership records to issue penalties. The number of operating parking firms also grew by 66% over the same period.
RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding isn’t impressed with these new findings. He suggests that the industry is in need of an overhaul.
Comment
He said:
“It is inconceivable that more than eight million drivers are setting out each year consciously deciding to flout parking rules and risk ending up with a parking charge. These numbers, which have risen in leaps and bounds over the last 10 years, suggest we have a system that isn’t working.”
To help tackle this issue the government has proposed a new law around the code of practice for the industry. This will make the process for private parking fines more in line with those imposed by council authorities. This government sanction went into consultation, with the report published in July 2021.
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Rise in Private Parking Fines
