Fleets should make their views known in a new government consultation about private parking, according to the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).
The organisation said its call followed a webinar it held on the subject of parking fines.
AFP board member Julie Summerell, who chaired the webinar, said that more than half of all fines handled by fleets were related to private parking, and there was a general perception that appeals were increasingly being dismissed by parking operators.
She said: “Dealing with private parking fines is one of the biggest complaints heard across the AFP. They have been growing quickly in number and some parking companies are becoming less and less flexible when it comes to everything from queries to appeals, so any opportunity for positive change – such as this new consultation – should be welcomed.”
Summerell said the AFP was keen for fleets to make their voices heard as part of the consultation process in order to help reduce the administrative burden and rising costs they faced from parking fines.
She said: “The consultation document shows DVLA vehicle keeper data requests made by parking companies increased from 1.9 million in 2012 to 12.8 million in 2024, which provides some indication of the growth that has been seen and the increasing amount of work that parking fines are creating for fleets.
“It does very much feel as though change is needed and we’d urge fleets to share their experiences with the government, especially their views on ideas such as a standardised appeals process, caps on charges, clearer signage and a single independent appeals body.”
