Private parking fines: Sheffield motorists set for new protection against ‘unreasonable’ penalties

David Kessen
By David Kessen
Published 7th Feb 2022, 16:41 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2022, 17:39 BST
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Sheffield’s motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said.

Under a new Parking Code of Practice introduced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on Monday, the maximum fine in the city will be reduced from £100 to £50.

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Private car parks will also have to display prices more clearly, use a fairer appeal system and give drivers a 10-minute grace period for lateness, according to the new rules.

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Sheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. File photo dated 01/08/13 of a parking ticket on a car windscreen as councils dished out parking fines at the rate of one every four seconds last year, it has been revealed. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday April 14, 2014. Local authorities issued around 7.8 million parking penalty charge notices (PNCs) in 2013. amounting to £255 million in fines, according to research by Churchill Car Insurance. And the figures could be even higher, as Churchill's statistics relate to responses from only 187 of the 435 UK councils contacted for data under the Freedom of Information Act. See PA story TRANSPORT Parking. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA WireSheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. File photo dated 01/08/13 of a parking ticket on a car windscreen as councils dished out parking fines at the rate of one every four seconds last year, it has been revealed. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday April 14, 2014. Local authorities issued around 7.8 million parking penalty charge notices (PNCs) in 2013. amounting to £255 million in fines, according to research by Churchill Car Insurance. And the figures could be even higher, as Churchill's statistics relate to responses from only 187 of the 435 UK councils contacted for data under the Freedom of Information Act. See PA story TRANSPORT Parking. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Sheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. File photo dated 01/08/13 of a parking ticket on a car windscreen as councils dished out parking fines at the rate of one every four seconds last year, it has been revealed. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday April 14, 2014. Local authorities issued around 7.8 million parking penalty charge notices (PNCs) in 2013. amounting to £255 million in fines, according to research by Churchill Car Insurance. And the figures could be even higher, as Churchill's statistics relate to responses from only 187 of the 435 UK councils contacted for data under the Freedom of Information Act. See PA story TRANSPORT Parking. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

The maximum charge will be reduced to £50 in most cases, or £70 for more serious breaches.

Private firms who breach the new code could also be banned from collecting fines in future, by having their access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data cut off.

Minister for Levelling Up, Neil O’Brien, said the new measures aim to protect motorists from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees”.

He said: “Private firms issue roughly 22,000 parking tickets every day, often adopting a system of misleading and confusing signage, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees designed to extort money from motorists.

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Sheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. Deepa Shetty who took on Excel parking services over a parking charge notice received at. Berkley Centre and won. Picture Scott MerryleesSheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. Deepa Shetty who took on Excel parking services over a parking charge notice received at. Berkley Centre and won. Picture Scott Merrylees
Sheffield’s Motorists will receive greater protection from “aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees” through a 50 per cent cut to the private parking fine cap, the Government has said. Deepa Shetty who took on Excel parking services over a parking charge notice received at. Berkley Centre and won. Picture Scott Merrylees

“The new Code Of Practice will set out a clear vision with the interests of safe motorists at its heart, while cracking down on the worst offenders who put other people in danger and hinder our emergency services from carrying out their duties.”

Sheffield campaigners welcomed the move.

In February 2020, Deepa Shetty represented her partner David Doncaster in court after he was hit with a £100 charge for parking at the Berkeley Centre on Ecclesall Road in 2019.