Burnham Unveils New Rules to Curb Private Parking Charges

Drivers who park on private land will get a guaranteed window to decide whether to stay and a cap on appeal fines under new rules set out by Andy Burnham, who vowed to end what he called "rip-off parking charges," according to BBC News.

The announcement follows complaints from motorists that private parking operators have issued penalties for minor errors — a wrong digit on a number plate, a few minutes' delay at the pay machine — that snowballed into demands for hundreds of pounds. In one case cited by the BBC, a woman in Derby was taken to court over a £1,906 claim after she took longer than five minutes to pay at a car park; the charge was eventually dropped.

"Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn't end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat," Burnham said. "These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I'm putting a stop to them."

What protections will drivers actually get?

The new rules set firm limits on how private operators can penalize motorists. Drivers will get a guaranteed five-minute period to decide whether to park and a 10-minute window to leave without facing a penalty. Charges will be canceled for situations drivers cannot control — a vehicle breakdown in the car park, a broken ticket machine, a medical emergency — as well as for honest mistakes such as stopping briefly to check directions.

For slip-ups like forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle registration, or failing to confirm a registration at the machine, the maximum charge on appeal will be capped at £20. The overall ceiling on parking charges will be frozen at £100, matching the limit already set in the industry's current voluntary Code of Practice.

Why is the government acting now?

The scale of the problem, as measured by RAC analysis of government data reported by the BBC, shows why ministers moved. Private parking operators issued a record 17 million tickets in 2025/2026, a 17 percent increase from the year before. With each charge worth up to £100, that volume suggests drivers could collectively face private parking charges worth more than £4.6 million a day.

By the numbers:

• 17 million private parking tickets issued in 2025/2026
• 17% increase in tickets year-on-year
• Up to £4.6 million a day in potential charges, per RAC/Press Association analysis
• £100 maximum charge under the new freeze
• £20 maximum appeal fine for minor errors

The AA told the BBC that some drivers simply pay disputed charges to avoid the hassle of appealing, saying people feared they would not get a fair hearing or worried about the threat of legal action.

How will the new code be enforced?

The rules carry a mechanism meant to give them teeth beyond a voluntary pledge. Operators who do not comply risk losing access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency data, which would make it far harder to trace a vehicle's registered owner and pursue a charge at all. Private car parks are distinct from council-owned car parks and public streets, which remain governed by separate rules.

What do parking and motoring groups say?

The private parking industry already operates under a code of practice created by the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community and introduced in 2024. The British Parking Association told the BBC it welcomed the government's changes but noted that "many of the principles within the new framework are already reflected in the existing voluntary Code of Practice."

The RAC motoring group struck a different tone, saying the government's changes would protect drivers from the "poor practices of some private parking companies," according to the BBC's reporting.

Where will the new rules apply?

The code will cover England, Scotland and Wales, following what the BBC describes as motorists' demands for independent oversight of an industry that has largely policed itself. The formalized code is set to go before Parliament, replacing reliance on the existing voluntary framework with rules that carry a DVLA-access penalty for operators who ignore them.

For now, the yellow-and-black Penalty Charge Notice envelope remains a familiar sight for motorists returning to their cars, but the government's changes are designed to narrow the circumstances in which that notice can turn into a four-figure court claim over a five-minute delay.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.