The British Parking Association (BPA) has ordered its members to introduce a 10-minute grace period before penalising motorists for overstaying their welcome in a private car park. This brings it into line with the rules on the public highway.
The BPA has also updated its regulations to prevent wardens being financially incentivised to issue as many tickets as possible. The changes come into force after a BPA investigation into the activities of member-firm UKPC:
“Our investigations highlighted the need to update our Code of Practice, to make it absolutely clear that the practice of offering financial incentives to parking attendants/wardens which relate to the quantity of PCNs issued by them is wholly unacceptable. This comes into effect on 1st October 2015.
“Also effective from this date, is an extension to the grace period at the end of the paid for parking time or after the expiry of a free parking period, to a minimum of 10 minutes. This brings private car parks into line with car parks run by local authorities who are required by law to observe a ten minute grace period in the same circumstances.”
Reacting to the news Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said:
“It is good to see an attempt being made to bring parking rules on private land into line with those on the public highway but ultimately it should not be the industry setting the standards but government.”