New regulations coming into effect today will change the way millions of UK drivers pay for parking. The new rules, which aim to provide more safety measures for parking across the country, come after several incidents where drivers were charged exorbitant fees for taking longer than five minutes to pay for parking - in one case, a motorist was slapped with a nearly £2,000 fine.
These new protections apply to private car parks monitored by ANPR or CCTV cameras. Under the new legislation, drivers won't face parking charges as long as they pay in full before leaving camera-monitored private car parks. However, drivers are still required to pay for their entire stay, calculated from the moment they enter the car park, and those who underpay could face charges, reports Birmingham Live. Andrew Pester, chief executive of the British Parking Association, praised the changes, saying: "It is a real testament to the [panel] that this change has been implemented so efficiently.
"The parking sector is always striving to ensure it operates in the interest of compliant motorists and to ensure that parking is fairly managed for all." However, Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, criticised the changes as "an attempt for the private parking industry to look fair".
Meanwhile, Rhydian Jones, a car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: "With some having received fines of up to £2,000 in private car parks, it's positive to see that the Private Parking Scrutiny and Advice Panel (PPSAP) is giving drivers more flexibility and fairness.
"But it's also important that drivers always make sure they read parking signs carefully so they don't get caught out. They should also avoid becoming too relaxed in the face of these changes, as they could still be at risk of receiving a parking fine if they don't comply.".
Jack Cousens, AA head of roads policy, said: "This change to the self-authored code by private parking operators only highlights the urgent necessity to implement the Government-backed code of practice alongside a truly independent single appeals process and oversight board.
