ACFO is to publish a memorandum of understanding with the private parking industry to help fleets and drivers avoid parking fines on private land.

ACFO says the way forward for handling parking fines on private is improved education of all parties

The association will work with trade body the British Parking Association and one of the UK’s major enforcement companies, Parking Eye, to develop the document, which is planned for publication by the end of the year.

The document, which follows a ‘summit meeting’ between the organisations, will comprise a series of ‘top tips’ advising fleet managers and drivers on how to avoid fines being imposed; the process for transferring fines to drivers and the system relating to appeals against a fine.

ACFO said that it continues to discuss the issue with the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and is aware that while some leasing companies immediately pay a fine before recharging the cost to a client with an additional administration charge thus negating any appeal opportunity, others have introduced a policy that delays payment by 24-hours to enable an appeal to be lodged.

The association said it has also been made aware of a so-called ‘white list’ of car parks where regular users, such as visiting service engineers and shop and office staff working at retail parks, have vehicle registrations automatically entered into monitoring systems.

ACFO added that it continues to call for the whole fines system to be digitalised with chairman John Pryor saying: “We don’t want fine notification and bits of paper being sent through the post.”

However, in the interim ACFO believes the memorandum of understanding will assist members in overcoming concerns and removing confusion and anxiety around parking fines on private land.

Pryor concluded: “Ultimately it is about education. We believe our forthcoming memorandum of understanding will assist all parties in that process.”