Parking stories in the News/media

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70gl0wwggdo

Chris Woodroofe said about a third of Manchester Airports Group income £453m is from parking. The income generated from parking goes into both the running of the airport and investment.

Woodroofe added: "One of the things we'll look to invest in the future will be another big multi-storey car park because there is really high demand for that car parking."

And of course it's so profitable.

Nellymoser

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62vpl2plvgo

Council figures suggest more people are visiting Shrewsbury compared to last year, but staying for less time and spending less while they are there.

Seb Slater from Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID), wrote to the council in June to raise concerns about the effects on the town's economy from the last increase in parking charges.

Data acquired by the BID suggested that the length of time people stayed and the number of tickets purchased at one of the town's largest car parks, dropped when a 50% fare increase was introduced in November.

By May, Frankwell car park had seen a 21% drop in hours purchased and 11% fewer transactions.

"If people are spending less time here then they're spending less money, and that's what we're concerned about.

Shrewsbury BID also raised concerns with the council over the number of its staff that park for free at Frankwell.

Slater claimed as many as 320 spaces a day, about half of the number of parking spaces available, were occupied by council staff, costing, he claimed, the authority about £40,000 a month in lost revenue.

daveyjp

I'm amazed any council still offers free parking for staff. They certainly shouldn't be when budgets are tight.

Coupon-mad

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/record-17-million-private-parking-tickets-issued/

New RAC article about the 17 million KADOE requests p.a.

Numbers of parking tickets issued by private companies:

• 2018/19: 6.8 million
• 2019/20: 8.4 million
• 2020/21: 4.4 million
• 2021/22: 8.6 million
• 2022/23: 11.1 million
• 2023/24: 12.8 million
• 2024/25: 14.4 million
• 2025/26: 16.9 million
  

Coupon-mad

Excel Parking signs (above) are shown with this article where the journalists doesn't even name or blame Excel, nor even think to ask them what's going on:

https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/business/halifax-supermarket-investigating-frustrating-parking-fines-for-its-customers-staff-and-delivery-drivers-8934220

Why oh why don't retailers understand what causes PCNs, it reads like they're "baffled" about why a notorious ex-wheelclamper member of a rogue sector that operates 'free' like a protection racket, is issuing lots of PCNs to staff, delivery drivers and customers.

Who else did they think was going to get PCNs… a random marauding group of imaginary trespassers?

Are all retail park landowners stupid or just exceptionally easily taken in by the spiel of promised "new tech, surveillance to make your car park 'safer' with rich data reports about footfall and it won't cost you a penny…!"

Of course it's nothing to do with security. How exactly did they think Excel would operate?!

Did they really think the combo of ANPR and a hidden VRM screen on a desk would work in consumer interests? Of course not. Firms like Excel don't really do it free!

This is the reality of what you get when you invite in an agent that only makes money from issuing PCNs at a retail park where obviously, those on site are … staff, delivery drivers and customers.

So why are they saying:

A Halifax supermarket has pledged to investigate parking fines handed out to some of its customers

In a video posted to their social media:

Source: Facebook

https://share.google/ryFXtScvXuBnk081T

…the firm said:

"We are aware that some of of our customers, staff and delivery drivers have received these parking charge notices while legitimately visiting out store and that is extremely frustrating for you guys.

We operate in stores across the UK and we have never experienced anything like this.

We’re seeking legal advice to urgently resolve this.”

Umrah has stressed it does not manage the car park so it does not issue the fines, nor does it receive any income from them.

…sigh…why do retailers and landowners always think it matters to stress they make no money from it? So what?! That's not a valid excuse, that is the cause of the whole problem.

Of course they don't make any money from it; the likes of Excel run it 'FREE' … so they will obviously seek to milk the car park like leeches.

Why doesn't the penny drop before these retailers sign up?

Who exactly do they think is going to pay for a 'free' ANPR set-up and who is going to receive all the PCNs to help fund Simon Renshaw-Smith's next yacht or horse, or his overdue retirement after years of riches as Captain Clampit?!

Does nobody think about it properly and apply the old adages 'you don't get out for nowt' and 'if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is'?

This store won't survive because it looks like Excel's contract can't be ended until Spring 2027.

"Umrah opened in May on Horton Street, where B&M used to be. It includes its own shawarma station, an in-house bakery, a coffee machine and slushy station."

It's no good doing any of that, if you let Excel alienate your staff, delivery drivers and customers…

Come on landowners take responsibility!

nigelbb

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82111225#Comment_82111225

It's tempting to blame a PPC for issuing PCNs but in this case it's the high cost of airport parking (£6.60 for up to 15 minutes rising to £63.40 per day for short stay parking) that is responsible for £150 million of annual revenue).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c70gl0wwggdo

Car1980

"Why doesn't the penny drop before these retailers sign up?"

Because it's the "done thing" nowadays. If you have a big area of land they think it'll be "abused" if it isn't "controlled". And it turns out a company will police it for free! Happy days.

And if they are being dragged into an irritating hassle situation which Excel promised they wouldn't, they'll just hand it to another company when the contract expires. "Oh we had Excel last time and we kept getting complaints."
"Oh, don't worry. We get a lot of contracts from ex-Excel customers. We'll make sure no complaints cross your desk. We'll deal with everything so you don't have to worry."

And the merry-go-round continues.

kryten3000

It's because they fall for the snake oil. We have a local car park near us with supermarkets and other stores plus fast food outlets. There's no parking management and never a problem parking there.

Half_way

On the same theme or Airport parking and drop off fees:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/europes-6-most-expensive-airport-11113110

Research
has shown that UK passengers pay more for airport drop-off fees than
their European counterparts, and a study of Europe's 50 busiest airports
show that many don't charge fees at all

And

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2026/07/23/national-disgrace-uk-airports-hike-drop-off-fees-while-continental-europe-keeps-them-free

It comes in stark comparison to airports on the continent, where 'kiss and fly' zones are often free.

Venice Marco Polo airport allows cars to park for up to 20 minutes directly outside the terminal at no cost.

At Milan Malpensa, there's a free waiting area between terminals one and two for up to 60 minutes.

Ljubljana's 'kiss and fly' zone is free for 10 minutes, as are the drop-off zones at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly.

Airport drop off fees need to be stamped out, upto 10 minutes free, thereafter a charge will speed people along.

Im of the opinion that people should pay to use a car park, where the car park is pay to use, and the payment system is accessible and easy to use that is at the standard advertised rate, and those that don't pay on purpose are part of the same problem as PPCs, but drop off fees are another thing entirely.

If anything drop off fees are a national disgrace, supposedly put in place to stop terrorists. But only in the warped twisted world that PPCs inhabit would someone thinking of carrying out an atrocity be put off by the threat of a letter dropping through their (or a) letterbox from the likes of APCOA arriving a few days after be put off.

Nellymoser

The extortionate fees to park at uk airports surely has to be the reason we see car parking set ups like this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8ngxw5195o

A BBC investigation found the unauthorised car park at New Farm which was rapidly set up in 2025 as an alternative cheaper option to nearby Stansted Airport has grown by nearly two-thirds since it was served in Sept with an enforcement notice to shut.

The company SC Parking Ltd has appealed the notice. The appeal means trading can continue until the case is heard by the Planning Inspectorate, which is not expected before 2027.

The firm told the council it had future bookings to honour and cancelling them would have a detrimental impact on the company's income.

Customers have described scenes of "mayhem" when they returned from holiday to find overcrowded transport, along with damaged and dirty cars and long waits for collection. Many believed they had booked through reputable comparison websites.

Stansted Airport managing director urged customers to choose authorised parking providers, check reviews and report concerns to Essex Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.

Essex Trading Standards said it had not received enough complaints to justify a formal investigation.