Overview

• Private parking machines across the UK are misrecording vehicle registrations, leading to thousands of unfair fines for drivers.
• Recent reports highlight faulty machines with issues like sticky keys and premature payment prompts, which trap users into errors.
• Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has called for immediate improvements, including ensuring parking equipment functions correctly.
• Campaigners and motoring groups, including the RAC, are urging the government to establish a statutory Private Parking Code of Practice with independent oversight.
• Despite the introduction of a self-regulated industry code in October 2024, technical failures persist, affecting thousands of drivers daily.