‘Flabbergasting’ code of conduct proposed by parking firms

Richard Aucock, Contributor
Wed, 01 May 2024

The private car parking industry has announced plans to introduce its own ‘code of conduct’ – two years after succeeding in a legal challenge to quash an official government one.

The British Parking Association (BPA) and International Parking Community (IPC) have agreed a single code of practice that they claim will be used across the private parking sector.

It mandates a 10-minute grace period for motorists, introduces an ‘appeals charter’ for those with mitigating circumstances and sets out consistent rules for operators in installing clear signage.

The new code, which will be published in June 2024, is set to be implemented on 1 October 2024 and the entire industry should be in full compliance by late 2026.

However, the RAC has responded by saying the new code "takes irony to another level"

"We’re flabbergasted that the BPA and IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own ‘private parking code’ after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official Government Code created by an Act of Parliament coming into force," says head of policy Simon Williams.

The bill for a legislation-backed code of conduct for the UK private parking industry received Royal Assent in March 2019.

It including halving the cap on tickets for most parking offences to £50, plus a formal appeals system and the ban on aggressive language on tickets.

However, following a legal challenge by parking companies, the Government withdrew the bill in June 2022.

"While there are clearly some positive elements to what the private parking industry is proposing, it conveniently avoids some of the biggest issues around caps on penalty changes and debt recovery fees, which badly need to be addressed to prevent drivers being taken advantage of," adds Williams.

Williams says these elements, alongside a formal appeals process, are currently being worked on by the Government and can’t come soon enough

"For the private parking industry to all of a sudden paint themselves as being whiter than white with their own ‘code’ and appeals charter takes irony to another level," he says.

Will Hurley, CEO of the IPC, says that the sector has been calling for a single code of practice for a long time. "The sector has listened to the motoring community and today we are acting."

Ask HJ

How do I appeal a parking ticket when there was no restriction sign present?

I parked in a residential street with no parking restriction signs. I returned to my vehicle two days later and there was a 'warning letter' AND a PCN on my windscreen. The local authority had put up signs in the two days I had left my vehicle. I appealed the ticket but it was refused- I'm now at the Notice to Owner stage. Anyone have any advice on what to state in my next appeal?

You can read our in-depth guide into appealing parking tickets here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/advice/parking-ticket-appeals/ but we would suggest that the best approach would be to prove that the signs were installed on the road after your car was parked. You may need to contact the council separately in order to gain the required evidence for when the work was carried out, as well as any evidence that verifies when you parked the vehicle.

Answered by David Ross

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