Political opinion: Crawley MP Peter Lamb welcomes action on rip-off parking charges and second-hand car scams

Local Crawley Labour MP Peter Lamb has welcomed news that drivers in Crawley will get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges under new rules announced today.

The changes introduced by the Labour government include a guaranteed 5 minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends, and the right to have charges cancelled on appeal for issues they can’t control. 

Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament, charges will be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine. 

For smaller slip-ups, like forgetting a parking permit, making a mistake when entering the registration number or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal. The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don't comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment. 

 In addition, unscrupulous second-hand car dealers who wind back odometers to disguise a vehicle’s true mileage will also face tougher action. Known as car clocking, fraudulently selling a clocked car is already illegal, but adding it to the official list of banned practices will make it easier for enforcers to crack down, protecting buyers and backing honest businesses. 

These changes are the latest measures in the Prime Minister’s series of everyday fixes, tackling the frustrations that cost people time and money to give families more room to breathe. 

The action follows moves to stop unfair airline charges, tackle subscription traps, rogue traders, and rip-off school uniform costs – all championed by Crawley’s MP, Peter Lamb.  

Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley, said: “I welcome the latest real-world everyday fixes to help residents of Crawley. With announcements on fuel price information on Google Maps, to tacking subscription traps and rip-off school uniforms, this labour Government is on the side of every day working people.

“We have all been in the situation where we are not sure how much time we have left on our parking time, or we are anxious about getting back to the car park in time. These announcements are on the side of Crawley motorists, putting the power into your hands, rather than car parking companies”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:  “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.

“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.

"We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off."