Darlington's MP is leading calls for more regulations on private car parks following "numerous complaints" and "unfair practices".
Lola McEvoy has joined with MPs from across the country in the plea to Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety Alex Norris to discuss the pertinent issue.
The MPs claim that constituents are facing fines for late payment, threats, and more due to mitigating factors as many face court action.
This letter comes after multiple concerns have been raised about Feethams Car Park in Darlington town centre.
A controversial 'five minute window' to pay has seen drivers landed with fines in what Ms McEvoy described earlier this year as a "heavy-handed approach".
This summer, Hannah Robinson, 21, told the Echo that she regularly parked her BMW in the centre of Darlington, while working at a nearby steak house.
Despite tickets proving she paid to leave her car, Hannah has racked up a staggering £11,390 in 67 fines since 2021.
Karl Bracken, from Ferryhill who stayed in the car park "eight minutes too long" this winter got a letter from debt recovery law firm Elms Legal saying they had been instructed to collect a now £170 fine.
Now, MPs are set to lobby the government to implement "statutory regulation" as they argue the parking sector is in need of reform.
The letter reads:
Dear Minister,
We are writing to raise serious concerns regarding the practices of private car parking companies, which are having a detrimental impact on our constituents.
Each of us has received numerous complaints from residents and visitors who believe they have been subjected to unclear and unfair practices by private car park operators. These complaints also highlight a troubling lack of clear recourse for appeal or resolution.
In many instances, drivers have faced significant financial penalties for late payment, even when they report making genuine efforts to comply. Contributing factors beyond their control include unclear or misleading signage, malfunctioning payment machines, and insufficient alternative methods for purchasing tickets.
Despite providing clear evidence to support their appeals, many of these drivers have had their cases rejected. Furthermore, some have reported facing disproportionate and stressful enforcement actions, including the threat or reality of court proceedings. Unsurprisingly, this has caused significant distress and financial hardship for those affected.
While we recognise the importance of addressing non-payment and misuse within the industry, it is evident that stronger safeguards are required to ensure consumers are treated fairly.
As you are aware, the previous Government sought to tackle these issues by introducing a mandatory code of practice through the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019. While this was a welcome step, the subsequent withdrawal of the code following a legal challenge from the car parking industry has effectively nullified its intended impact.
In its place, a voluntary code of practice, administered by the International Parking Community (IPC), came into effect in October this year. However, operators are not required to comply until late 2026. This delay, coupled with the voluntary nature of the code, raises serious concerns about its effectiveness.
Regrettably, three months after its introduction, we continue to receive complaints at a steady rate, which suggests that, as feared, the voluntary code will not be adequately adhered to. Furthermore, our correspondence with parking operators on these matters has frequently been met with a lack of meaningful engagement or, in some cases, unconstructive responses.
We believe that relying on self-regulation is insufficient. Time and again, statutory regulation has proven the most effective way to protect consumers in other sectors such as banking, energy, and telecommunications. It is clear that the same approach must be applied to the private parking industry.
We were encouraged by your recent comments in Parliament, where you expressed a commitment to raising standards in the private car parking industry and revisiting the Code of Practice. We strongly believe that implementing a robust, statutory framework is essential to provide the consumer protections that voluntary measures have failed to deliver.
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We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss our constituents’ experiences. Their feedback could provide valuable insights to help shape the scope and content of any new approach to the Code.
We have copied this letter to the Chair of the Housing, Communities, and Local Government (HCLG) Select Committee, as we are aware that the Committee examined these issues during the previous Parliament. We would welcome further investigation into this matter to strengthen consumer protections.
Protecting consumers’ rights is a fundamental responsibility of Government, and we stand ready to provide any further information required to demonstrate the urgent need for reform in this area.
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