New rules make car parks fairer for UK drivers Car News

Most operators belong to one of two trade associations: the British Parking Association (BPA), which represents around 120 companies, and the International Parking Community (IPC), which represents around 90. of vehicles, their members are entitled to purchase vehicle keeper records from the DVLA at a cost of £2.50 per application. Any operator who violates the new code will be denied access to this information.

Currently and until the end of 2023, when the new single appeals service should be operational, each professional body has its own appeals service. The BPA is called Parking on Private Land Appeals (Popla). It was founded by the organization in 2014 but is now run by Mediation Services, an independent body that provides dispute resolution services and is endorsed by government regulators Ofgem and Ofcom. Two out of 10 PCNs issued by BPA members are appealed and half of them are subsequently overturned.

The call service of the IPC is called the Independent Call Service (IAS). It is owned by the IPC, but founder and CEO Will Hurley insists it is independent. He says: “As the competent authority of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, it is duly accredited and we strive to ensure that it is truly independent.

The IAS cancels about a quarter of the tickets that are subject to appeal. “A lot of them get canceled due to extenuating circumstances,” says Hurley. “For this reason, I urge motorists who feel they have been wrongfully ticketed to appeal and engage with us.”

Hurley supports the new code of practice but fears that a single government-run call service will be expensive to operate. He also fears that reducing fines will dilute their deterrent effect.

BPA’s Steve Clark agrees: ‘We want to avoid the type of chaos seen in many seaside towns and beauty spots when the lockdown was eased last summer. Already eight million motorists break the rules, which benefits everyone. Our research shows that reducing the level of deterrence could result in 13 million parking fees being issued as more people take the risk of ignoring them.