Family of dead shopper was pursued for fine

Car park “cowboys” tried to fine a dead person and a woman too small to see the signs, the Commons heard as MPS backed action against private firms.

Shadow communities minister Yvonne Fovargue said she had been told of one operator pursuing the relatives of a shopper who died, which caused “considerable distress”.

She added it appeared the certainties of life were “death and parking fines” as Labour supported a proposed law change to introduce a code of practice to detail how private car parks should be operated.

Conservative former minister Sir Greg Knight, who is behind the Bill, also told of a man being asked to pay £100 after stopping in an empty lay-by for 15 seconds to check his sat nav.

Sir Greg said the man’s complaints against the private parking operator have been “fobbed off” and he continues to receiving “threatening” letters.

He and other MPS raised several cases before his Bill cleared its first parliamentary hurdle after it received an unopposed second reading.

The Government outlined its support for the move ahead of the debate and detailed how it wants to stop rogue firms from issuing fines and accessing driver data – effectively forcing them out of the industry.

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Fovargue said parking operators are entitled to protect access to private land.

However, she added: “One of the examples I’ve received was of somebody who parked in a car park, went shopping and unfortunately they died when they were out shopping.

“However, they got a parking charge on their car because obviously they hadn’t thought to remove it before then and their relations were chased by a parking company for the parking fine.”