Parking law changes confirmed by Labour in major victory for millions of UK drivers

The fresh guidance will also give motorists 10 minutes to leave a car park without being fined under the new Private Parking Code of Practice.

Drivers will be given the right to have charges cancelled on appeal in various circumstances, including stopping to check directions or due to vehicle breakdowns.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government added that further allowances would be given to drivers when in a private car park.

Someone who forgets their parking permit, enters a vehicle registration incorrectly, or forgets to confirm it in a parking charge will face a maximum fine of £20 on appeal.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.

“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them. We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”

Private parking charges will be frozen at a maximum of £100, while operators who fail to comply risk losing access to DVLA data.

These companies rely on DVLA data to obtain vehicle keeper information and issue fines to motorists who have broken rules.

Almost 17 million parking tickets were issued by private businesses last year, and with a fine being up to £100, around £4.6million is raised in penalties each day.

Private parking companies will be required to report data on the charges they issue, while appeals will be scrutinised by a new independent oversight board.

Labour is also expected to consult on private parking debt recovery fees, which could lead to the existing £70 cap being scrapped.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the RAC, noted that drivers had waited seven years for greater protections against the “worst private parking operators”.

He said: “While this is a good first step, there is still a huge amount of work to do, such as tackling the scourge of debt recovery fees.

“Ultimately, we need to stop charges being issued in the first place, especially where the driver has done nothing wrong.”

Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, described the new policy as a “step in the right direction”, adding that the organisation has campaigned for new rules for a number of years.

He stated that parking management companies potentially losing access to DVLA databases would “hopefully prevent many drivers wrongly being issued tickets in the first place”.

Mr Williams continued, saying: “There’s also a strong indication the code will be toughened as soon as next year to take in recent recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority.

“While this isn’t quite the Christmas present we wanted for drivers, it should hopefully save many the stress of having to challenge unfair tickets.”