Administrators overseeing the operations of the car park operator NCP are actively pursuing drivers for outstanding parking fines despite the company’s collapse earlier this year.

NCP entered administration in March, endangering nearly 700 jobs and comprising approximately 340 car parks across the country. According to The Times, within the initial month of administration, a total of £402,000 in unpaid parking fines was recouped. The company was burdened with nearly 100,000 unresolved parking charge notices at the time of its collapse.

Among these notices were approximately 15,000 awaiting court hearings and an additional 80,000 managed by debt collectors. Despite the administration, NCP retains the ability to enforce existing fines and issue new ones.

Following the collapse, NCP shuttered 29 of its car parks, with the remaining facilities functioning as usual as administrators from PwC strive to locate a new owner. Notably, NCP leases most of the car parks it operates from freeholders rather than owning them outright.

The company cited a decline in parking demand post-Covid, particularly in city-center and commuter locations, attributing this trend to the surge in hybrid working arrangements. NCP also struggled with financial challenges stemming from long-term, unyielding leases on unprofitable sites.

Established in London in 1931, NCP is under the ownership of the Japanese entity Park24. Parking rates vary by location, with some central London sites charging up to £60 for a 24-hour stay.

Zelf Hussain, joint administrator and partner at PwC, stated during the administration period that NCP had faced ongoing difficulties due to shifting consumer behaviors and high fixed costs resulting in financial losses. He emphasized the commitment to maintaining service continuity while exploring various options, including potential business sales, to secure the best outcome for creditors.