Euro Car Parks: Parking firm investigated over charging drivers queuing at petrol pumps
Euro Car Parks, one of the UK’s largest car park operators, is currently under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over concerns about tickets issued to drivers at petrol stations.
The consumer protection regulator has launched an investigation into the company, which manages more than 3,000 parking spaces in the UK and Ireland.
The inquiry will examine Euro Car Parks’ practices at petrol stations and specifically examine whether it is fair to issue parking fines to motorists queuing for fuel pumps or other forecourt services such as car washes.
The CMA will also analyze the company’s wider objection processes.
This investigation follows the CMA’s £473,000 fine imposed on Euro Car Parks in February for failing to respond to repeated requests for information over a three-month period.
The regulator said it sought an injunction from the High Court to prevent the company from being named, but that application was ultimately rejected.
On Thursday the CMA published an open letter to all private parking operators raising concerns such as unfair tickets not being canceled despite appeal.
It was found that some tickets were issued for non-payment just five minutes after entering the parking lot.
The CMA also made recommendations to the Government on a new code of practice, which it consulted on; This includes that parking companies need to make drivers aware of their rights and improve their appeals processes.
The Press Association’s latest analysis of Government data has found that drivers in Britain are issued an average of nearly 48,000 parking fines each day by private companies.
Approximately 13.1 million tickets were issued by parking management businesses in the last nine months of last year.
This increased by 19 percent. from 11.0 million in the same period in 2024.
Each ticket can cost up to £100; This means the total cost to drivers per day could be almost £4.8 million at the current rate.
CMA Consumer Protection Director General Emma Cochrane said parking companies “must treat drivers fairly at every stage” and a clear and consistent objection process “must be at the heart of this”.
He added: “It is time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer laws or the CMA’s risk measures.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said the measures taken by the CMA were “a major step forward in ensuring motorists are treated fairly by private parking operators”.
He added: “Drivers consistently fail to achieve fair results when they challenge tickets.”
Euro Car Parks has been approached for comment.
