Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has backed the Labour Government’s consultation that will protect motorists with plans to raise standards across the private parking industry unveiled through a new strengthened Private Parking Code of Practice.
Motorists, families, and private parking operators are set to benefit from improved standards, as a consultation on a new Private Parking Code of Practice is launched.
Over 35 million people across the UK rely on their cars for everyday life – from commuting to caring responsibilities – but the fear of being hit with unfair parking charges has eroded trust between drivers and some operators.
To better support drivers in vulnerable or stressful situations, such as attending hospital appointments, a new rule is being considered that would uphold appeals where motorists had no reasonable choice but to breach parking terms.
Proposals will ensure fair treatment for motorists and introduce common-sense standards across the industry, including clear signage and mandatory grace periods.
These measures will help prevent charges caused by issues like payment machine errors, accidental typos, or poor mobile signal.
Previous Governments have tried to legislate but never succeeded. The Parking Act 2019 was introduced as a Private Member’s Bill in 2017, and the previous government’s Private Parking Code of Practice was laid in 2022 but withdrawn later that year following a legal challenge from the parking industry. The Conservatives ran a Call for Evidence in 2023 but never followed through with consultation.
Commenting on the consultation, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:
“Far too often rogue parking operators give out unfair or incorrect charges to Portsmouth people who haven’t done anything wrong.
“That’s why I back these changes by the Labour Government to crack down on these unjust penalties, including supporting drivers in vulnerable or stressful situations, such as attending hospital appointments.
“These common-sense changes will support local drivers with simpler rules and support where they had no reasonable choice but to breach parking terms.”
Alex Norris, Minister for Local Growth, said:
“We inherited a dysfunctional private parking market that has lacked crucial transparency and protection for motorists, leading to unfair and unjustified charges
“Parliament legislated for a legally binding Code of Practice six years ago with cross-party support but the four previous administrations all failed to implement it. Where they failed, we are determined to act.
“That is why we are working at pace to drive up standards by bringing forward a stronger, more robust legal Private Parking Code of Practice.”
The number of parking charges issued is at a record high – 12.8 million vehicle keeper requests were made last year, a 673% increase since 2012.
While this partly reflects more parking spaces, the current system lacks independent oversight and sufficient transparency.
At present, operators can avoid sanctions for poor practice, leaving motorists vulnerable to unfair or incorrect charges. The new compliance framework will ensure accountability. Under proposals, operators who breach the Code may lose access to DVLA data required to issue parking charges.
The Code will strike a balance—protecting motorists while enabling compliant operators to run efficient, value-for-money car parks.
It marks another step the government is taking to repair Britain’s transport and save people time and money, following the allocation of £1.6 billion funding this year to help local authorities resurface roads and fix the equivalent of up to seven million extra potholes, with an additional £24 billion set aside to build new roads and keep drivers moving over the next five years.
The eight-week consultation also seeks views on:
- Appropriate caps for parking charges and debt recovery fees
- Improvements to second-stage appeals
- Requirements for operators to share data with government to inform future updates to the Code
The consultation is open until September 5th and is available here.
