Private parking companies could lose access to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) vehicle keeper database if they fail to comply with new government rules designed to protect motorists from unfair charges. The statutory Private Parking Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on 20 October by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The code gives drivers five minutes after entering a car park to decide whether to stay and 10 minutes to leave after their paid parking session ends. It also provides for charges to be cancelled on appeal in specified circumstances outside a motorist's control, including a medical emergency, vehicle breakdown or faulty ticket machine.
