Drivers in England, Scotland and Wales will get a five-minute grace period to decide whether to park and ten minutes to leave after their session ends under a new code of practice for private car parks aimed at ending 'rip-off' fines.
01Summary
- 01The new private parking code of practice is due to be laid in parliament on Tuesday, though its effective date remains unclear.
- 02Drivers will have a guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and ten minutes to leave after their session ends before facing a fine.
- 03The government has kept the existing maximum fine of £100, rejecting calls from Which? for a £50 cap.
- 04Fines for 'honest mistakes', such as stopping to check directions or medical emergencies, will be scrapped on appeal.
- 05A consultation on private parking debt recovery fees, currently capped at £70, will be held as soon as possible next year.
02Why it matters
This matters because private parking firms issued a record 16.9 million tickets in 2025-26, and the new rules could save drivers from unfair penalties for minor errors or brief delays.
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