A draft code of practice for the private parking sector has been published to protect drivers by cracking down on rogue private parking operators.

The new code of practice for the private parking sector follows years of campaigning for a fairer system for drivers

Announced after years of campaigning for a fairer system for drivers, the Private Parking Code of Practice outlines minimum standards expected of private parking operators.

According to the RAC, it should root out the “more dubious practices” that have been prevalent by some operators in the sector. Alongside this, a new national appeals system will be introduced to make it simpler for drivers to fight charges they believe are unfair.

Perhaps most pertinent for drivers, the new rules would introduce a compulsory 10-minute grace period before firms can issue a late fine – already required for council car parks. The RAC reports cases of drivers being fined within seconds of overstaying. The measures also include a compulsory five-minute cooling-off period after arrival in which a motorist can consider the terms and conditions and change their mind about parking.

The proposals also include a reduction in the maximum parking charge notice to £50 in most cases outside of London, with a 50% discount for early payment. The upper £100 limit for more serious breaches will be kept.

Parking debt collectors would also be banned from charging additional fees when parking charge notices are not paid, and will be required to improve standards on signage, conditions of parking and make it clearer on how to appeal a charge.

There is also a clear crackdown on parking firms using aggressive or pseudo-legal language to intimidate motorists into paying fines.

The RAC had been lobbying for action for years after being contacted by drivers who felt the actions of private parking companies were entirely unreasonable – including for things such as slight keying-in errors. In addition to this, some operators were incentivising third parties by offering them financial incentives for issuing parking charge notices.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said the new code of conduct would “undoubtedly improve the experiences for drivers and create a much more level playing field, reducing hassle and stress while at the same time forcing rogue operators to clean up their acts”.

He added: “Since clamping was banned on private land, there has been a shift to ticketing instead, with the number of parking charge notices being issued rising year-on-year at alarming levels. While some of these are justified, others are not and sadly in many cases drivers simply pay up in fear of the consequences, particularly given that follow-up letters can use threatening and intimidating language. RAC research found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of drivers wanted the sector to be brought under some form of regulation.”

The RAC also stressed that the new measures were not about stopping parking operators doing their jobs, but about “creating a system that is fair and transparent for all”.