| Re: Investigation into parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol stations Posted by JayMac at 21:43, 16th July 2026 |     |
It must be remembered that a lot of these private parking companies are just former cowboy clampers in a suit and tie. Trying and failing to police themselves through independent (yeah right) appeals services. They have zero interest in getting their house in order as that doesn't bring in the moolah. You can be charged more for an alleged parking contract breach than court fines for a crime against the person.
I've never wavered in my opinion of private parking companies. Scum of the earth. That said, I'd like them to continue their shady practices for the moment. Because, like clamping on private land, legislation will finally catch up with them and put them out of business. As a start, local councils should be given the power to insist (through Section 106 orders) that new developments with public access car parks are not permitted to have third party parking 'management'. The landlord and/or tenant must do it themselves.
| Investigation into parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol stations Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:40, 16th July 2026 | |
From the BBC:
Investigation into parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol stations
One of the UK's largest private parking providers is being investigated by the competition regulator over whether parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol forecourts are fair.
Euro Car Parks' broader appeals process relating to petrol stations and car parks is also being looked into, to determine if it breaches consumer protection law.
The investigation forms part of a wider crackdown by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into potentially unfair practices by private parking operators.
Research by the RAC has suggested the number of tickets issued in places like gyms, supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks more than doubled in six years, to 14.4 million.
Motorists have complained about these parking issues, the CMA said, highlighting problems including unclear signage, faulty apps and broken ticket machines.
The regulator said it wanted to make sure drivers are being treated fairly following complaints from motorists who feel they've been unjustly issued with parking tickets.
The CMA says it has its own concerns about the way some operators are handling appeals, or attempting to make motorists pay additional fees on top of parking charges. It has written to the sector as a whole, and issued warnings to some individual operators about their practices.
The CMA's executive director of consumer protection Emma Cochrane said receiving a parking ticket could be a stressful experience. "Costs are high and often unexpected which is difficult when people are budgeting carefully," she said.
"Parking companies must treat motorists fairly at all stages – and a clear and consistent appeals process must be at the heart of this. It's time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer law or risk action from the CMA."
In the open letter to private parking operators, the CMA warned they should review their terms and conditions and make changes if necessary to ensure they are complying with consumer law.
The CMA's investigation into Euro Car Parks is focusing on whether it is fair for drivers to receive parking charges while queuing for, or using, petrol pumps and other forecourt services such as car washes, plus its wider appeals process.
It is in the evidence gathering stage, and is set to run until Spring 2027.
Motorists on social media have expressed bafflement and frustration at receiving parking tickets for overstaying at petrol stations.
Some described receiving fines when they had been doing things including charging their electric vehicles. Others said they had received a ticket for apparently overstaying while putting air in their tyres and getting fuel. And some complained there was no signage obvious to them with the facility's rules.
Euro Car Parks has more than 3,000 facilities across the UK and Ireland, according to the company's website, with more than two million cars parking in their spots every day. The BBC has contacted Euro Car Parks for comment.
Which? consumer law expert Lisa Webb said it was positive to see the CMA launch its investigation. "We often hear from people who feel frustrated and confused as they fight unfair charges and tickets issued by private parking operators, including for absurd reasons like queuing for a petrol pump or car wash," she said.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said forecourts and parking operators need to allow motorists to get the fuel they need without being penalised "for simply waiting their turn".
"Drivers are already feeling the pinch with rising pump prices, so the last thing they'd want or expect is to be hit for a parking charge just for sitting in the queue," he said.
(BBC article continues)
One of the UK's largest private parking providers is being investigated by the competition regulator over whether parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol forecourts are fair.
Euro Car Parks' broader appeals process relating to petrol stations and car parks is also being looked into, to determine if it breaches consumer protection law.
The investigation forms part of a wider crackdown by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into potentially unfair practices by private parking operators.
Research by the RAC has suggested the number of tickets issued in places like gyms, supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks more than doubled in six years, to 14.4 million.
Motorists have complained about these parking issues, the CMA said, highlighting problems including unclear signage, faulty apps and broken ticket machines.
The regulator said it wanted to make sure drivers are being treated fairly following complaints from motorists who feel they've been unjustly issued with parking tickets.
The CMA says it has its own concerns about the way some operators are handling appeals, or attempting to make motorists pay additional fees on top of parking charges. It has written to the sector as a whole, and issued warnings to some individual operators about their practices.
The CMA's executive director of consumer protection Emma Cochrane said receiving a parking ticket could be a stressful experience. "Costs are high and often unexpected which is difficult when people are budgeting carefully," she said.
"Parking companies must treat motorists fairly at all stages – and a clear and consistent appeals process must be at the heart of this. It's time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer law or risk action from the CMA."
In the open letter to private parking operators, the CMA warned they should review their terms and conditions and make changes if necessary to ensure they are complying with consumer law.
The CMA's investigation into Euro Car Parks is focusing on whether it is fair for drivers to receive parking charges while queuing for, or using, petrol pumps and other forecourt services such as car washes, plus its wider appeals process.
It is in the evidence gathering stage, and is set to run until Spring 2027.
Motorists on social media have expressed bafflement and frustration at receiving parking tickets for overstaying at petrol stations.
Some described receiving fines when they had been doing things including charging their electric vehicles. Others said they had received a ticket for apparently overstaying while putting air in their tyres and getting fuel. And some complained there was no signage obvious to them with the facility's rules.
Euro Car Parks has more than 3,000 facilities across the UK and Ireland, according to the company's website, with more than two million cars parking in their spots every day. The BBC has contacted Euro Car Parks for comment.
Which? consumer law expert Lisa Webb said it was positive to see the CMA launch its investigation. "We often hear from people who feel frustrated and confused as they fight unfair charges and tickets issued by private parking operators, including for absurd reasons like queuing for a petrol pump or car wash," she said.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said forecourts and parking operators need to allow motorists to get the fuel they need without being penalised "for simply waiting their turn".
"Drivers are already feeling the pinch with rising pump prices, so the last thing they'd want or expect is to be hit for a parking charge just for sitting in the queue," he said.
(BBC article continues)
