Tories test Labour on parking enforcement

Conservatives pose questions on local authority parking operations and regulation of private land

The enforcement of parking was the subject of a flurry of Parliamentary correspondence as the Conservatives tabled questions on access to vehicle keeper details and placing curbs on some activities.

Kevin Hollinrake MP, shadow secretary of state for housing, communities and local government tabled a series of written questions around parking with an emphasis on the conduct of enforcement, collection of data and the regulation of parking on private land.

The questions posed by the former business minister were a reframing of themes raised in The Plan for Drivers, a document published by the Conservatives when in power during 2023.

In her written answers, Future of roads minster Lilian Greenwood said the Labour government has no intention of preventing local authorities accessing vehicle keeper held by DVLA as part of their parking enforcement operations.

In another response, she stated Department for Transport guidance was that local authorities should not use enforcement to raise revenue. She added that the Labour government was considering feedback on a consultation on how to restrict the generation of surplus funds through parking enforcement.

Hollinrake also asked a question about the planned code of practice for parking on private land. Local government minister Alex Norris wrote a response that said a new consultation was planned. 

Parking Q&A

The questions and answer posed around parking (from Hansard)

Q: Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Drivers, published on 2 October 2023, whether her Department has taken steps to remove local authorities’ access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency data.

A: Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour transport minister): This was a commitment made by the previous government which we have no plans to take forward.
 
Q: Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Plan for Drivers, published 2 October 2023, what progress her Department has made on the call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ (a) ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and (b) over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers.

A: Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour transport minister): The Department for Transport’s Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions makes clear that local authorities should never issue penalty charge notices to raise revenue. The department is currently considering the findings of the Call for Evidence on ‘Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions’ which was issued as part of the previous government’s Plan for Drivers.

Q: Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department collects data from local authorities on the (a) revenue from and (b) number of (i) on-street and (ii) off-street parking fines issued by local authorities in (A) London (B) the rest of England.

A: Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour transport minister): The Department for Transport does not collect such data centrally. The department has published statutory guidance which requires local authorities outside London to publish annual financial and statistical data on their enforcement activity. London Councils collects enforcement data as the representative body for the London Boroughs and Transport for London.

Q: Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49771 on Parking: Fines, which parking sector stakeholders shared research with her Department.

A: Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour transport minister): The Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL), British Parking Association (BPA) and Local Government Association (LGA) shared a report of their research with the department. They carried out an online survey and received responses from 43 local authorities.

Q: Kevin Hollinrake MP (Con): To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to commence the provisions on consumer protection in the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.

A: Alex Norris MP (Labour local government minister): The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The purpose of the code of practice is therefore to raise standards in the parking sector, which will, in turn, benefit the motorists who use private parking facilities. The government is currently reviewing how best to raise standards in the industry, and we plan to launch a consultation on this shortly.