Watchdogs are currently looking into allegations that certain motorists have been hit with parking fines while waiting in line for gasoline. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated an investigation into the practices of Euro Car Parks to assess whether their actions at gas stations and handling of appeals could potentially violate consumer protection regulations.
The CMA stated that the probe will evaluate the fairness of imposing parking fines on drivers while they are queuing for or using fuel pumps and other services like car washes. This scrutiny comes after reports surfaced of drivers facing hefty fines for overstaying at petrol stations, with penalties reaching £100 after just 20 minutes.
In response to these concerns, major forecourt providers such as BP and Shell have partnered with private parking companies to install CCTV cameras at their premises. The CMA is also examining Euro Car Parks’ overall appeals procedures related to both petrol stations and car parks. The regulatory body emphasized that it is in the early stages of the investigation and has not drawn any conclusions regarding potential legal violations by Euro Car Parks.
Earlier this year, the CMA fined Euro Car Parks £473,000 for failing to comply with a notice requiring them to provide information, a penalty that Euro Car Parks is currently appealing. This fine does not pertain to any suspected breaches of consumer protection laws.
As part of its efforts to address issues in the private parking sector, the CMA announced measures aimed at assisting motorists when dealing with private parking operators to ensure fair treatment in challenging parking fines. Research indicates that approximately 14.4 million parking tickets were issued in 2024/25 at various locations such as gyms, supermarkets, restaurants, and retail parks, representing a significant increase from previous years.
The CMA is reaching out to private parking operators to express concerns about the appeal process for drivers and the potential imposition of unfair additional charges during the collection of unpaid parking fines. Additionally, the CMA is urging the sector to align its practices with consumer laws and is providing recommendations to improve appeals handling and communication with motorists.
Emma Cochrane, the CMA’s executive director of consumer protection, emphasized the need for parking companies to treat motorists fairly and ensure a transparent and consistent appeals process. She outlined a set of actions and recommendations to support drivers and highlighted the initiation of an investigation into Euro Car Parks’ practices, urging all private parking operators to comply with consumer laws.
Euro Car Parks has been approached for comment on the matter. Lisa Webb, a Consumer Law Expert at Which?, commended the CMA for investigating Euro Car Parks and alerting the industry about potential consumer law violations. Webb stressed the importance of addressing issues related to unclear communications, flawed appeals processes, and unfair charges across various companies.
Webb also called on the government to expedite the replacement of the current industry code of practice with a stronger government-backed private parking code that would set fair parking charge limits and restrict firms from imposing excessive debt recovery fees on consumers.