41,000 TICKETS A DAY: Private parking firms set to hand out record 14.5 million tickets this year

Private parking firms are on track to issue 14.5 million parking charge notices in the current financial year, according to RAC analysis of government data. The number marks a steep rise, with over 7.2 million DVLA requests made in the first half alone — up 12% from the same period last year.

That’s an average of 41,000 requests a day from private firms seeking keeper details to pursue alleged contraventions. At £100 per notice, drivers could face a collective bill of £1.4 billion if current trends continue. This would be more than double the number issued in 2018-19, the year before Parliament introduced legislation aiming to crack down on poor practices in the sector.

However, the effectiveness of that legislation has been limited. The Government’s Private Parking Code of Practice was withdrawn in 2022 following legal action brought by private parking and debt recovery companies. Its removal has left the industry without the oversight the Act originally intended.

Recent high-profile disputes have added pressure on the Government to reintroduce regulation. In one case, over 130 motorists voiced concerns online after receiving £100 charges at Syston Town Square in Leicestershire. The operator, Euro Car Parks, reportedly issued tickets due to problems with a number plate input system.

In Derby, Excel Parking attempted to pursue a driver for more than £1,900 over delayed payments on several occasions. That case was later dropped after media and political intervention.

Both incidents occurred after the British Parking Association and International Parking Community published a new industry code of practice in October 2024. The RAC says these examples highlight the need for a statutory code backed by the Government.

DVLA data shows a small group of companies are behind the majority of requests. ParkingEye alone made 1.1 million applications, accounting for 16% of the total. Euro Car Parks followed with nearly 892,000. Combined, the five most active firms — also including Horizon Parking, Smart Parking and APCOA Parking — were responsible for 45% of all requests. The top 10 firms together accounted for 64%.

Each request to the DVLA costs £2.50, raising questions over the scale and profit potential of the current system.

In response, the RAC has published a guide advising drivers on how to challenge private parking charge notices and those issued by councils.