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Burnham announces new private parking rules with grace periods for drivers

The rules give drivers the right to challenge charges, while consumer group Which? says they fall well short.

Updated Oct 19, 2026 · 22:08 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced new rules for private car parks giving drivers the right to challenge charges.[BBC News]
  • Drivers would get a guaranteed five-minute period to decide whether to park and a 10-minute window to leave without a penalty.[BBC News]
  • The maximum standard charge is frozen at £100, and non-compliant operators risk losing access to DVLA data.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Consumer group Which? criticized the government for shying away from a £50 price cap.[The Guardian]

Key facts

  • Burnham announced new rules giving drivers the right to challenge private parking charges and more grace when using private providers.[BBC News]
  • Burnham said being a few minutes late back to a car or mistyping a numberplate digit should not lead to a hefty fine.[BBC News]
  • The rules would give drivers a guaranteed five-minute period to decide whether to park and a 10-minute window to leave without a penalty.[BBC News]
  • The government is keeping the maximum parking charge at £100, the same limit as the existing industry Code of Practice.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Operators who do not comply with the rules risk losing access to DVLA data, making it harder to pursue vehicle owners.[BBC News]
  • Which? said the rules appeared to fall well short of what was needed and criticized the government for shying away from a £50 price cap.[The Guardian]
  • The British Parking Association welcomed the changes but said many principles in the new framework are already reflected in its voluntary Code of Practice.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • Reported figures for private parking tickets in 2025/2026 differ between outlets, with the BBC citing 17 million and the Guardian citing 16.9 million.[BBC News · The Guardian]
  • Which? criticizes the rules as insufficient, while the British Parking Association says many principles already exist, so views on how far the rules go differ.[BBC News · The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.