Would you pay a parking fine if you had done nothing wrong? A recent AA survey reveals that one in twenty UK motorists are settling private parking charges even when they believe they've done nothing wrong, just to avoid the stress and uncertainty of contesting them!
In a poll involving over 11,500 drivers, 5% admitted they would pay a private parking charge notice (PCN) despite knowing they hadn't breached any rules. Among these, more than half (53%) cited the desire to "get rid of the hassle" as their main reason. Additionally, 13% felt appealing would be futile, and 11% feared potential legal repercussions.
While 53% of respondents indicated they would challenge an unjust PCN, only a third expressed confidence in a successful outcome. This lack of assurance underscores the challenges drivers face when dealing with private parking firms.
12% of drivers stated that they would approach Citizens Advice if they needed help, with just under 10,000 people contacting the agency with concerns about private parking in 2024-2025 – up from 7,412 just three years ago.
Although the Parking Code of Practice Act was enacted in 2019, no aspects of the bill have been implemented since Royal Assent due to a legal challenge from the private parking industry. The AA is now calling on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to start implementing changes before the end of 2025.
Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy at The AA, said; “The delay in implementing the official government code is scandalous. Six years on, yet no part of the legislation has been introduced to protect and safeguard drivers from an aggressive industry.
The fact that drivers are willing to pay up when they have done nothing wrong, nor have any confidence in the current appeals process, shows why urgent action is needed.
We are hugely concerned that the government is standing idly by while drivers continue to receive threatening letters from a sector that works on the basis of guilty until proven innocent. Urgent action is needed, and introducing the rules by the end of the year will help wrestle back some of the balance in favour of the motorist.
Until the measures within the Act are in place, drivers will continue to be attacked by these shark-like businesses.”