MAY 2023 UPDATE : Consultation on parking charge levels & add on fees

Nellymoser

During a search online for news on this long awaited consultation I found a letter 17/4/23 from Levelling Up Minister in response to questions Levelling Up Committee had asked re Parking Code of Practice.
download it here :
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/17/levelling-up-housing-and-communities-committee/news/195068/car-parking-charges-and-use-of-parking-apps-government-responds-to-levelling-up-committee-questions/

We've been waiting 11mths on this consultation. I thought it was never going to happen. While I was pleased to read Minister intends to publish it along with the draft Impact Assessment before summer parliamentary recess (? 20th july) I'm not 100% convinced. I feel for some reason DLUHC have been holding back the launch so guess I'll believe when I see it. 

Read MPs 30 questions to DLUHC and replies since CoP was withdrawn ::
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions?SearchTerm=Parking+code+of+practice&DateFrom=10/06/2022&DateTo=01/12/2023&AnsweredFrom=&AnsweredTo=&House=Bicameral&Answered=Any&Expanded=True

Im longing to read and forward my views on the Impact Assessment. I doubt if any of the evidence and assumptions in it will change my views. The parking industry claims reducing PCN cost and removing debt admin fees will cause many businesses to fold. As a motorist I don't feel I owe parking companies a living and I certainly don't want to pay more to keep them trading when evidence has shown they treat motorists unfairly. 

Since my nightmare PCN appeal/BPA complaint I refuse to park in any unfamiliar car park managed by BPA/IPC ATA operators. Fearful of another overpriced unaffordable £100 PCN. Fearful I'm unable to adhere to car park terms due to factors outwith my control, even operators equipment.

The ATA status is just a sham. It doesn't guarantee operators issue PCNs fairly or are CoP compliant. I'm all for supporting towns retail leisure and hospitality business but their choice of parking operator can make visits to their venues risky and stressful. 

I'm actually surprised some operators are still trading. Lots of practice errors. Repetitive errors that have not been addressed with corrective measures. The BPA Trustpilot review responder and AOS team are always excusing their members "admin/system/technical" errors to complainants and/or explaining there was some "confusion" or it was "misinterpreted". It's really all a bit embarrassing especially when the operators line of business is to charge drivers £100 for parking errors !!! 

I'm sure as soon as the consultation is open to the public it will be announced over on the parking tickets fines board. Please respond with your views. The parking industry will respond, hoping to get the PCN cost increased to £120 and £70 debt agency admin fees retained. Let's all make sure their attempts are unsuccessful. 

Coupon-mad

I'm sure as soon as the consultation is open to the public it will be announced over on the parking tickets finesI'm sure as soon as the consultation is open to the public it will be announced over on the parking tickets fines board. Please respond with your views. 

It will.

Thanks for posting this in Campaigns Corner, to raise awareness further.  Applicable in Scotland too.

@MSE_JC is aware - and I really hope MSE Towers will publicise this vital Public Consultation in their email newsletter in July or August!

We, and the UK motoring public - and everyone's kids who will be future drivers - REALLY need lots of victims of private parking firms to read the Draft Impact Assessment and reply to the Government's last questions to get the statutory Code of Practice over the line.

The extortion, CCJ culture and bulk litigation must end.

We will be all over the Public Consultation on the parking board and if people on MSE want to be sure not to miss it, they should bookmark this thread where we've explained what it's all about:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79310609/#Comment_79310609

I'm quietly confident.

I'm the only individual consumer member on the Private Parking Code of Practice Government Steering Group and whilst I can never talk about that work, yes, the DLUHC have stated publicly that the final Consultation should be published for responses before Summer Recess and will be open for 12 weeks, which is longer than the last two Consultations.

Having worked unpaid on this project since 2020 (eyeball to eyeball in virtual meetings with the usual lot and being personally behind some of the good stuff that made it into the new Code of Practice) I can say that I really think we are nearly there - and watch the linked space!

Nellymoser

PRIVATE PARKING CODE of PRACTICE : CALL for EVIDENCE consultation was finally launched by DLUHC on 30th July and will close 24th Sept 2023.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/private-parking-code-of-practice-call-for-evidence

This call for evidence aims to improve and strengthen the available evidence to inform and assist government decision-making on parking charge notice cost and debt recovery fees. It considers the effects that could be expected from the code of practice and 5 proposed charge options.

The Impact Assessment (a lengthy 91 pages! ) and charge options will be updated if the evidence provided to gov demonstrates changes are needed and a further public consultation will follow (hopefully this one won't take 14mths) before gov makes their final decision on the industry's charges/fees.

It also advises respondents if they think they have material evidence or information which does not relate directly to the matters identified in the consultation they are asked to take this opportunity to submit that information or evidence.

An opportunity not to be missed one I will certainly take. I didn't respond to the past consultations as I'd no previous knowledge of the private parking industry. My awareness and experience of their poor practice and recurring code breaches only became apparent after I appealed my PCN in Dec 2021.

So I'll be including in my consultation response relevant evidence from my written correspondence with :
Parking operator Group Nexus
British Parking Association ATA
DVLA Freedom of Information requests/responses
Trading Standards response to date from my Group Nexus and BPA referral
and I may as well throw in my Trustpilot reviews of Group Nexus and BPA too

Anyone requiring further information before you respond should read

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6463361/dluhc-private-parking-code-government-launches-call-for-evidence-discussion-thread/p1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6365687/parking-stories-in-the-news-media/p1