Private parking firms issued record 1,640 tickets every hour in 2024 – despite Government promises to crack down on ‘bandit’ operators

Motorists were hit with a record 1,640 parking tickets every hour last year – despite Government promises to crack down on ‘bandit’ operators.

Ruthless firms issued 14.4million tickets to drivers in the 12 months to April this year – more than 27 every minute.

This breaks the previous record of 12.8million given out in 2023/24 and it is more than double the 6.8million in 2018/2019.

Each ticket can be up to £100, meaning the total daily cost to drivers could be nearly £4million. And the figures apply only to car parks run by private firms, not councils.

Ministers faced fresh calls to get tough on cut-throat companies causing misery for drivers. 

Motorists have been waiting years for a crackdown on such firms, amid complaints about poor signage and a lack of grace periods if drivers do not return to their cars in time but are not at fault.

The previous Tory government withdrew a code of practice aimed at protecting drivers from ‘cowboy’ operators, which would have slashed the maximum fine from £100 to £50. 

Ministers caved in after firms legally challenged the proposals, but the Government is now drafting a new code. 

Motorists were hit with a record 1,640 parking tickets every hour last year (Stock image) 

Ruthless firms issued 14.4million tickets to drivers in the 12 months to April this year – more than 27 every minute (Stock image)

AA president Edmund King said: ‘We warned in 2012, when we managed to get “cowboy” clampers outlawed, that many of these people would go into private parking and hence stricter regulations were needed. Unfortunately we have been proved correct.’ 

The analysis is based on the number of records obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by firms chasing motorists for alleged infringements. Some 184 such companies asked for vehicle owner details in 2024/25.

A government spokesman said: ‘We are determined to drive up standards in the industry.’

A British Parking Association spokesman said: ‘The data consistently shows that only around 0.3 per cent of private land parking events result in a parking charge. The increase in the number of parking charges is also strongly linked to the increase in new managed car parks.’

Meanwhile, it now costs up to £189 to park for four days at some UK airports. Comparison website Confused.com looked at offers from airports across four dates.

The most expensive was London City Airport, costing £189 for a four-day stay with an average of £93.90 in short-stay car parks.