By Private parking fines set to be cut and capped
The government have announced plans to cap private parking fines in England and Wales to a maximum of £50.
Private car parks will now be required to display their prices more clearly in addition to providing fairer system for making appeals.
Currently, the cap is set at £100. New regulations will see it cut by half to £50.
However, higher financial penalties with remain in place for serious breaches.
For example, fines ranging from £70 to £100 will remain in place for serious cases, such as parking in Blue Badge bays without displaying a valid pass.
According to the government, operators who fail to conform with the new private parking regulations risk being barred from collecting fines from offenders altogether.
Millions are set to benefit from the new rules.
Motorists will be discounted 50% of their total fine if they pay within a 14-day window, as is already the case with council-issued penalties.
The plans also include introducing a ten-minute grace period before a late fine can be issued.
Genuine mistakes, such as mistyping a registration number into a ticket machine, will be excused.
A spokesperson for the AA says they welcome the change noting it was “much needed.”
AA president Edmund King said: “For too long, those caught by private parking firms simply pay the charge to get rid of it. Thankfully these days are numbered”
What do you think to the new changes?
