Private parking regulations are changing, and the introduction of a 10-minute grace period will make life easier for drivers.
The British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) have introduced a new single Code of Practice for the private parking sector.
This aims to raise standards, increase transparency, and ensure fairer practices for motorists across the country.
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The new code will start from 1 October 2024, with existing parking sites expected to fully comply by late 2026.
10 minute grace period
One of the big changes is the introduction of a mandatory 10-minute grace period.
This means that drivers will have an extra 10 minutes to either leave a parking spot without facing a penalty.
This grace period is designed to provide a buffer when a slight delay might happen, such as returning to your car later than planned or getting stuck in a queue when you need to pay on exit.
The grace period does not apply to short stay areas where the stay is no more than 30 minutes, such as airport and railway station drop off and pick up zones.
What else is happening?
There are other changes that private parking operators also must start to follow.
They will now be required to follow uniform signage guidelines, making it easier for drivers to understand the rules and avoid fines.
There will be clear and consistent guidelines for appealing a parking charge.
This will be really helpful for anyone who has received a fine because of a miskeying the car registration (yep! I’ve done that), for a medical emergency or a payment machine that wasn’t working.
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