Britain’s biggest ‘cowboy’ parking firms revealed as they rake in £537MILLION every year – as government announces new rights for drivers to challenge unfair charges

Private parking firms are demanding driver details at record levels as parking tickets rise sharply, prompting the Government to introduce new protections against unfair charges. The planned code gives motorists clearer ways to challenge penalties and limits charges for common mistakes.

Government figures show 16.9 million tickets were issued in the year to March, up 96.5 per cent since 2021/22, while firms made more than 12.5 million requests to the DVLA for driver details. APCOA, Euro Car Parks and ParkingEye accounted for just over half of those requests and reported combined turnover of £281.9 million. The code, due by the end of the year, will guarantee five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave after a session; some honest mistakes will qualify for cancellation or a maximum £20 charge on appeal.