This change comes after one motorist was fined almost £2,000 for taking longer than five minutes to pay (now dubbed the 'five minute payment rule') last year.
Here, we look at the case that prompted the change and what the new panel will oversee.
The ‘five minute payment rule’
As the payment machine was out of order, Rosey had to walk away from her car to find better phone reception so she could pay using an app.
In the following days, she received 10 Parking Charge Notices (PCNs), totalling an eye-watering £1,906.
Her case has prompted the five minute rule to be axed and the two UK parking industry bodies - the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC) - to revise their code of conduct to ‘protect genuine motorists’ and ‘reflect technological advancements’.
Most parking operators now prefer you to download one of many car park payment apps on your phone, which relies on you having a smartphone and good phone signal to complete your payment.
Find out more:New panel aims to raise standards for drivers
The panel's first priority will be revising the Code to protect 'genuine motorists' who have difficulty making prompt payment on entry.
It will also:
What does the private parking code of practice currently say?
The Private Parking Code came into force in October last year and changed the rules around grace periods, signage and appeals.
Under this code, you're granted a 10-minute grace period at the end of your stay, while all new private car parks are required to provide clear signage and must comply with a single set of rules.
There's also a new appeals charter for those who receive charges with 'mitigating circumstances'.
All new private parking sites had to be compliant with the code from 1 October 2024, while pre-existing sites have until late 2026 to comply.
The BPA and IPC said the aim of the code is to 'raise standards and deliver greater transparency and consistency for the benefit of motorists'.
But some organisations, such as the RAC, criticised the move after a number of private parking companies prevented the government from introducing its own code of practice.
The government’s code had proposed capping fines at £50, but was temporarily withdrawn in June 2022 after some private parking companies issued legal proceedings against the proposals to change maximum fines and ban additional fees.
Read more:source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/private-car-parks-abandon-five-minute-payment-rule-after-one-motorists-1906-fine-auDvC2q4VHhh