Shocking report reveals private parking firms issue 30,400 fines per day

A record 11.1 million parking tickets were issued to drivers in the year leading up to March 2023, with an estimated cost of more than £1.1 billion.

This means that motorists are being hit with over 30,400 parking notices every day,

Worryingly, this highlights an increase from 8.6 million in the previous time period.

The analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data by the PA news agency and the RAC Foundation did not include data on car parks run by local councils across the UK.

Parking in the UK has been a contentious debate for drivers in recent years, with increased fines from private companies and local councils being accused of scrapping payment machines in favour of app-based schemes.

• Private Parking Code of Practice set to be withdrawn
• Parking guide – where can and can’t you park
• Parking Charge Notices (PCN) – all you need to know

The report follows growing calls to end misleading and confusing signage from private parking firms – along with excessively high fees and aggressive debt collection.

In March 2019, the Government announced that new legislation would be brought in to counter this.

This Private Parking Code of Practice would help drivers fight against these private parking firms.

However, it was then withdrawn in February 2022 following a legal challenge from some of the parking companies.

There is currently call for more evidence on the issue to be provided to the Government, which will end of October 8th.

What do you make of the figures from the DVLA? Have you had any horror stories from the past year when it comes to private parking notices? Leave your comments below.