Parking might seem like a mundane part of daily life in the UK, but recent developments have brought the issue sharply into focus for millions of drivers, business owners, and local councils. With government consultations, controversial fines, and local authorities experimenting with free parking schemes, the debate over how much motorists should pay—and who benefits—has never been more heated.
In Derby, a recent government proposal to overhaul the private parking sector has sparked fierce discussion. Derby South MP Baggy Shanker has argued that the government’s planned reforms, while a step in the right direction, don’t go far enough to tackle what he calls “huge profiteering” by private car park operators. At the heart of the controversy is the proposed cap on parking charge notices (PCNs): the government’s draft statutory code of practice would set the maximum fine at £100, but Shanker wants to see that figure halved to £50.
Shanker’s push comes after an outcry over the case of Rosey Hudson, a motorist in his constituency who was hit with a staggering £1,906 bill for taking more than five minutes to pay at the Copeland Street car park in Derby. According to BBC reporting, Hudson’s ordeal began when Excel Parking enforced its notorious “five-minute payment rule,” leading to a court claim that was only dropped after intense public scrutiny and intervention by MPs.
"The government has listened and launched a consultation, and made some proposals with lots and lots of good stuff around grace periods, mandatory signing, and tough consequences for rogue operators, but I would like to see that fine cap lowered," Shanker told the BBC. He added, "I really, really welcome the code, and we need to get that in urgently, but the fine of £100 is far too high given the scale of the fines that they issue, and they still stand to make millions of pounds with the amount of fines that they are issuing. It’s just a huge, huge profiteering exercise for them and that’s just not fair."
Shanker isn’t alone in his concerns. The case of Rosey Hudson was even raised in the House of Commons by Derby North MP Catherine Atkinson, who described it as a “five-minute rip-off charge.” The BBC has heard from hundreds of other drivers who’ve faced similar issues with Excel Parking and other private operators, suggesting the problem is far from isolated.
Statistics from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) paint a stark picture: in the 2024-25 financial year, private car park operators paid the DVLA for 14.4 million keeper details, enabling them to send PCNs to drivers. That’s a dramatic jump from the 4.7 million requests made in 2016-17, indicating that more PCNs are being issued than ever before.
While the court claim against Rosey Hudson was ultimately dropped in December 2024, and the industry’s two main trade associations banned the five-minute payment rule by amending their own code of practice, MPs like Shanker remain adamant that self-regulation isn’t enough. They’re calling for a robust, government-enforced statutory code of practice to ensure fairness and accountability.
The push for reform isn’t without resistance. The British Parking Association (BPA), one of the two trade associations overseeing the sector, insists that a £100 cap is necessary. Isaac Occhipinti, the BPA’s head of external affairs, stated, "We would strongly support the government’s decision to maintain the £100 cap on parking charges. An effective deterrent is essential to prevent inconsiderate parking behaviour, such as parking in Blue Badge bays, blocking emergency vehicle access, or overstaying in limited spaces, which restricts access for other motorists."
Occhipinti added, "BPA data shows that even with the current £100 cap, non-compliance is rising, with repeat offenders now accounting for up to 44% of parking charges issued. Reducing the deterrent would reward those who flout the rules, not the 99.6% of drivers who park responsibly every day." The International Parking Community, the other major trade association, echoed this stance, saying, "Cutting the parking charge to £50 would only reward those who ignore the rules. This is about fairness and keeping essential parking infrastructure working."
It’s a classic standoff: on one side, politicians and consumer advocates argue for lower fines and tighter oversight to prevent what they see as exploitation; on the other, industry groups warn that softer penalties could undermine responsible parking and clog up vital spaces. The government’s consultation on the issue closes at 23:59 BST on Friday, September 5, 2025, and both sides are urging the public to make their voices heard before the deadline.
While the national debate rages, some local councils are taking matters into their own hands—albeit with a different approach. Wakefield Council, for example, is considering reintroducing two hours of free parking at all its off-street car parks in Wakefield city centre, Castleford, Pontefract, Ossett, Normanton, and South Elmsall in time for Christmas 2025. The plan, which awaits approval at a council meeting scheduled for September 16, aims to boost local businesses and encourage shoppers back into town centres.
Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery explained, "We know residents want to see our city and town centres thriving, and we want more people to spend more of their money with our amazing local businesses." The council’s cabinet member for planning and highways, Matthew Morley, added, "We’ve listened to local businesses and our residents who’ve been telling us how much they value support like this, making it easier to spend time in our city and towns."
Free parking isn’t a new idea for Wakefield. The council first introduced two hours of free parking at the start of the Covid pandemic in April 2020, but charges returned in April 2023 to address a £24 million budget shortfall—the free parking had been costing £1.8 million per year in lost revenue, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. More recently, in July 2025, the council dropped plans to introduce Sunday parking charges, again citing feedback from businesses and residents.
Beyond parking, Wakefield Council is also investing over £1 million to help businesses improve their shops and boost security. Pavement café licenses have been kept free to further support local commerce. However, not everyone will benefit from the new parking proposals: charges will still apply at country parks such as Newmillerdam, Anglers, and Pugneys.
As the government’s consultation deadline looms, and with local councils experimenting with their own solutions, the question of how to manage parking in the UK remains as contentious as ever. Should fines be slashed to protect consumers, or kept high to deter bad behaviour? Is free parking a lifeline for struggling high streets, or a costly luxury local authorities can scarcely afford? The coming months—and the decisions of both national policymakers and local councillors—will shape the answer.
For now, motorists, business owners, and everyday citizens are watching closely, eager to see whether the balance between fairness, deterrence, and economic vitality can finally be struck.
