New research has shown that private parking companies charge motorists more than 22,000 per day.
Based on analysis by PA News Agency of data from the government, companies charged four million British motorists parking fees between April and September.
This was even though car usage had been more than 25% below levels pre-coronavirus-pandemic in the first half of the six month period.
The total amount for the fiscal year, if charges continue at the current rate, will be close to 8.4 million set in 2020 to 2019.
Private parking companies give drivers an average of 22,000 tickets per day
These figures show how many times the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has requested records of parking companies to pursue car owners who are accused of infringing on private car parks, such as those at leisure centres and shopping centers.
Each resultant charge can cost drivers up to £100.
Steve Gooding (director of motoring research charity, the RAC Foundation) stated: ‘The sheer amount of tickets being issued are a clear indicator that something is wrong in the current system.
‘We believe there are very few drivers who set out to intentionally break the rules and consequently get stuck with a bill for up to £100, particularly if all they were doing was dropping off some of the myriad parcel deliveries we’ve been ordering this year to an apartment block or industrial estate.
“Our tip to drivers: Never ignore a parking fee notice.” It’s important to read it and, no matter how strongly you feel, dispute it.
Between April and September 2016, 163 businesses requested the records of car owners.
ParkingEye, which had nearly 900,000. records was found to be the most popular buyer.
Experts think the high number of tickets issued may be a sign that the system isn’t functioning.
Gooding stated that the private parking business was the one sector which had been most resilient under Covid. The industry continues to attract new participants and will issue more tickets this year than it did in 2008.
The DVLA charges private firms £2.50 per record and says its charges are set to recover the cost of providing the information, and it does not make any money from the process.
Ministerial clearance is needed for measures to prevent drivers from being treated unfairly by parking companies.
They include a Government-sanctioned code of practice, a single appeals service, and a system of charges and penalties more in line with those levied by councils.