New rules aimed at protecting motorists from unfair private parking charges have been welcomed by Wrexham's MP following a string of parking controversies in the city.
Andrew Ranger has backed a new Private Parking Code of Practice which is set to give drivers greater rights to challenge charges, including protections for motorists who make genuine mistakes.
The announcement follows a series of parking controversies reported by The Leader at Wrexham retail parks, including Island Green and Plas Coch.
Under the new code, drivers will be guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their parking session has ended.
Charges will also be cancelled on appeal where motorists can provide evidence of circumstances covered by the Appeals Charter, including a medical emergency, vehicle breakdown or broken ticket machine.
For smaller mistakes, such as forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle registration or forgetting to confirm it at a machine, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal.
The code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100, while operators which fail to comply risk losing access to DVLA data, making it more difficult to identify registered keepers to pursue payment.
The announcement comes after registration errors featured prominently in previous parking complaints in Wrexham.
At Island Green, The Leader reported in 2023 that Lesley Griffiths MS had been contacted by constituents who said they had been unfairly charged despite paying for parking.
Lesley Griffiths said a particular issue concerned 'keying errors' when people entered their vehicle registrations, with some constituents receiving refunds or having parking charges cancelled.
Complaints continued at Island Green, with motorists subsequently telling The Leader about problems involving registration numbers and some shoppers saying they were avoiding the car park.
New ticket machines were later installed and, in March 2024, Lesley Griffiths said she had received fewer complaints in recent weeks.
Parking issues have also arisen at Plas Coch Retail Park.
Most recently, Andrew Ranger intervened after a constituent received a parking charge after visiting a 'coffee outlet' there.
The motorist was unaware that different restrictions applied later in the evening, with signs stating a maximum stay of three hours during specified daytime periods but only 10 minutes outside those times.
Andrew Ranger contacted Euro Car Parks about the case and said the charge was subsequently revoked.
The retail park had previously been at the centre of complaints in 2022, when motorists reported receiving parking charges after parking there before walking to neighbouring Sainsbury's or Aldi.
Welcoming the new code, Andrew Ranger said: "I know from casework that I have received that drivers in Wrexham have been penalised for typing a digit incorrectly into a parking machine for example, despite paying for parking.
"This will put a stop to these charges that leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket. It's another step forward from the UK Labour Government in easing the everyday pressures that people experience."
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The code will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, with private parking operators also required to report information on the charges they issue and how appeals are handled.
A new independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board is also set to be established.
The Government has also said it will consult as soon as possible next year on private parking debt recovery fees, including whether to reduce the existing £70 cap or scrap the fees altogether.
The code was laid before Parliament on Tuesday, October 20, and will now be subject to parliamentary scrutiny before being brought into force.
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