Private companies hitting 48,000 UK drivers with £100 charge every day

Private companies hitting 48,000 UK drivers with £100 charge every dayThe issue is contentious and new figures have been publishedCommentsMoneySteven Smith Content Editor10:29, 16 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesThe DVLA charges £2.50 for every request(Image: pratan ounpitipong via Getty Images)Around 48,000 motorists in Britain are being hit with charges of up to £100 every day, new figures show. New data shows drivers receiving an average of nearly 48,000 parking fines daily from private firms.‌Some 13.1 million fines were handed out by parking management companies between April and December last year, according to Press Association analysis of Government figures. This represents a 19% rise from 11.0 million during the equivalent period the previous year, and equates to an average of 47,749 each day.‌Motoring research charity the RAC Foundation said the statistics indicate "something is awry with the system". Individual fines can reach £100, meaning the daily total burden on drivers could be nearly £4.8 million at the present rate.‌Private parking firms have faced accusations of employing misleading and confusing signage, aggressive debt collection tactics and unreasonable charges. Numerous motorists have received fines they maintain are unjust due to how certain payment machines function.View 3 ImagesDrivers need to take care(Image: Lee Herbert via Getty Images)RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: "With fuel prices through the roof, the last thing anyone wants to receive is a parking charge notice. While there will always be some drivers who choose to disregard legitimate rules and regulations, you have to ask whether such vast numbers of people are purposefully setting out to run up big bills or whether something is awry with the system."‌A Bill enabling the introduction of an industry code of practice received royal assent in March 2019. This code, scheduled to take effect across Britain by the end of 2023, included cutting the cap on tickets fo...