Putting the brakes on rip-off parking charges and second-hand car scams

Drivers in Rawmarsh and Conisbrough will get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges, alongside a crack down on car dealers winding back mileages.

The changes introduced by the Labour government include:

• a guaranteed 5 minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends, and

• the right to have charges cancelled on appeal for issues they can’t control.

Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice charges will be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.

For smaller slip-ups, like forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal.

The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.

In addition, unscrupulous second-hand car dealers who wind back odometers to disguise a vehicle’s true mileage will also face tougher action. Known as car clocking, fraudulently selling a clocked car is already illegal, but adding it to the official list of banned practices will make it easier for enforcers to crack down, protecting buyers and backing honest businesses.

These changes are the latest measures in the series of everyday fixes, tackling the frustrations that cost people time and money to give families more room to breathe.

John Healey MP said