Parking firms ‘poised for bonanza’

Christmas shoppers have been warned to be “very wary” about using private car parks during the festive period.

Firms that operate the sites are gearing up for a “Christmas bonanza” as they are handing out almost 13 times more tickets than a decade ago, according to the RAC Foundation.

Analysis found that the Driver and Vehicle Licens- ing Agency (DVLA) sold 1.4million vehicle-keeper records to private parking companies in the second quarter of the current financial year, compared with just under 112,000 during the same period in 2007-08. The information is used to chase vehicle owners for alleged infringements in private car parks, sending penalty charges often worth up to £100.

ParkingEye Ltd obtained the largest amount of data in the most recent quarter at 467,000 records.

The figures suggest quarter three will be a “bumper period” for parking firms as it includes the run-up to Christmas and the pre-New Year sales, the RAC Foundation warned. It estimated the total number of records sold by the DVLA could exceed six million in 2017-18, up from 4.7million during the previous 12 months.

The DVLA charges private firms £2.50 per record, suggesting the agency could earn more than £15million from the process during the current financial year.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Private parking companies do not allow a grace period at the end of your parking time – even at Christmas.”

Mr Gooding has welcomed a private member’s bill by Conservative MP Sir Greg Knight to crack down on the industry.