Parking firm investigated over charging drivers queuing at petrol pumps
The investigation will scrutinise the firm’s practices at petrol stations
Koichiko
One of the UK’s largest parking operators, Euro Car Parks, is currently under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following concerns over tickets issued to drivers at petrol stations.
The consumer protection regulator has launched an inquiry into the company, which manages more than 3,000 parking locations across the UK and Ireland.
The investigation will scrutinise Euro Car Parks’ practices at petrol stations, specifically examining the fairness of issuing parking tickets to motorists queuing for fuel pumps or other forecourt services, such as car washes.
The CMA will also analyse the company’s broader appeals processes.
This probe follows a £473,000 fine imposed on Euro Car Parks by the CMA in February for its failure to respond to repeated information requests over a three-month period.
The regulator noted that the company had sought a High Court injunction to prevent its naming, an application which was ultimately refused.
On Thursday, the CMA published an open letter to all private parking operators outlining concerns such as unfair tickets not being cancelled despite an appeal.
It found that some tickets have been issued because payment was not made within just five minutes of entering the car park.
The CMA also made recommendations to the Government on a new code of practice it has consulted on, including that parking companies should be required to make drivers aware of their rights, and improve their appeals processes.
Recent Press Association analysis of Government data found drivers in Britain are being handed an average of nearly 48,000 parking tickets every day by private companies.
Some 13.1 million tickets were issued by parking management businesses during the final nine months of last year.
That was up 19 per cent. from 11.0 million during the same period in 2024.
Each ticket can be up to £100, meaning the daily total cost to drivers may be almost £4.8 million at the current rate.
Emma Cochrane, executive director of consumer protection at the CMA, said parking companies “must treat motorists fairly at all stages”, and a clear and consistent appeals process “must be at the heart of this”.
She added: “It’s time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer law or risk action from the CMA.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the measures taken by the CMA are “a major step forwards in ensuring drivers are treated fairly by private parking operators”.
He added: “Drivers aren’t consistently getting fair outcomes when they challenge tickets.”
Euro Car Parks was approached for a comment.
