New Code of Practice for Parking on Private Land

Sent on behalf of Patrick Troy, Chief Executive, British Parking Association

The New Code of Practice for Parking on Private Land

Consumer Guide to Parking on Private Land

 

Dear colleague,

PARKING ON PRIVATE LAND

You may have heard that, as of the 1^st October 2012, under provisions contained in the Protection of Freedoms Act, clamping and towing away on private land is now unlawful (unless a landowner or their agent can demonstrate lawful authority). This means that many operators who manage parking on private land will rely on the issue of parking tickets to deter motorists from breaching terms and conditions that may apply on their land.

At the government's request the British Parking Association has established for England and Wales an independent appeals service for motorists who receive such tickets and may feel the ticket is unfair. This service was also introduced on the 1^st October and will apply to parking incidents occurring from that date (though not before).

If one of your constituents receives a ticket issued after this date and they feel it was given unfairly they should first write to the company who issued it. If the company rejects the motorist's case they must provide details of the independent appeals service. This process is similar to that which applies in car parks run by local authorities.

The service is provided by the same organisation that runs the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS) for motorists who receive parking tickets from the London Boroughs. It is free to the motorist and decisions are binding on the operator. The service applies to all operators who are members of the BPA.

While the new service - known as POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) - provides additional redress for motorists, BPA members must also comply with our Code of Practice for parking on private land and we have and will apply sanctions – which can lead to expulsion - where a contravention of the Code is proven. It should be noted, however, that POPLA will only apply to tickets issued by BPA members. Motorists who receive tickets from companies that do not belong to an Accredited Trade Association will not have the right to appeal through independent adjudication.

We have produced a new guide for consumers to help them understand both the change in the law and what they can expect when they park on private land. I attach a copy of the guide which also sets out how motorists can help themselves in avoiding receiving parking tickets.

Please accept my apologies for the round robin nature of this letter but I am very happy to both provide you with additional information and meet you to help clarify any of the information regarding the development of the private parking sector. If you would like to meet please contact my PA Vicky Harris on 01444 447304 or reply to this email.

Yours sincerely,

Patrick Troy

Patrick Troy

Chief Executive

British Parking Association

Tel:      01444 447 306

Web:   www.britishparking.co.uk