Government Introduces New Parking Rights and Limits on Private Fines in London

The government announced a new Private Parking Code of Practice for London and across the UK. This code grants drivers new rights to challenge unfair parking charges, including a guaranteed five-minute period to decide whether to park and a 10-minute window to vacate a car park after the session ends. Charges will be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, such as medical emergencies, vehicle breakdowns, or stopping briefly to check directions.

The changes are designed to protect motorists from harsh penalties issued by private providers. For minor offences, such as forgetting a parking permit or entering the wrong vehicle registration, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal. Additionally, the maximum parking charges will be frozen at £100.