Nobody should face a hefty parking charge because they were a few minutes late getting back to their car.
That’s why I welcome the Government’s new Private Parking Code of Practice, giving drivers stronger protections against unfair private parking charges.
Under the new rules:
Drivers will have 5 minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after their parking session ends.
Charges can be cancelled on appeal for circumstances outside a driver’s control, including medical emergencies, breakdowns, and broken ticket machines.
Smaller mistakes, such as forgetting a permit or entering the wrong vehicle registration, will face a maximum £20 charge on appeal.
The maximum private parking charge will be frozen at £100.The Government is also taking tougher action against dishonest second-hand car dealers who wind back vehicle mileages to mislead buyers.
Almost 17 million private parking charges were issued across the UK last year.
For drivers here in Harrow, this means clearer rules, stronger rights to appeal and better protection from unfair charges.
I’ll continue supporting action that makes everyday life fairer and helps protect people’s hard-earned money