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Around 20,000 privately operated car parks in
England and Wales offer an essential but largely
unregulated service to motorists. Alongside parking
provided by local authorities, car parks on private
land allow the motoring public to access work,
education, health care and shopping opportunities.
Finding a parking space can be stressful but when things go wrong in car parks
on private land and disputes arise over parking tickets emotions run high. It is
not always clear how the charges invoiced by private parking companies are
arrived at, whilst the process for appealing may not be fully understood.
Private parking enforcement has changed significantly in recent years.
When
wheel-clamping without lawful authority
became illegal on private land
throughout England and Wales in 2012 it was welcomed by many, including
the RAC Foundation. However, its demise had the potential to compromise
legitimate business for some land owners and parking enforcement companies.
To avoid situations where parking restrictions could not be enforced,
the Government enabled
vehicle keeper liability
, allowing private parking
companies who are members of an ATA to request DVLA data. But by selling
publicly owned data about vehicle owners without defining what constitutes a
reasonable parking charge, the Government has sold the motoring public short.
England and Wales offer an essential but largely
unregulated service to motorists. Alongside parking
provided by local authorities, car parks on private
land allow the motoring public to access work,
education, health care and shopping opportunities.
Finding a parking space can be stressful but when things go wrong in car parks
on private land and disputes arise over parking tickets emotions run high. It is
not always clear how the charges invoiced by private parking companies are
arrived at, whilst the process for appealing may not be fully understood.
Private parking enforcement has changed significantly in recent years.
When
wheel-clamping without lawful authority
became illegal on private land
throughout England and Wales in 2012 it was welcomed by many, including
the RAC Foundation. However, its demise had the potential to compromise
legitimate business for some land owners and parking enforcement companies.
To avoid situations where parking restrictions could not be enforced,
the Government enabled
vehicle keeper liability
, allowing private parking
companies who are members of an ATA to request DVLA data. But by selling
publicly owned data about vehicle owners without defining what constitutes a
reasonable parking charge, the Government has sold the motoring public short.