Drivers hit by up to £170 parking fines after using ticket machines 'set up to trap you'

Drivers across England say they are being sent demands for up to £170 from private parking companies because of faulty machines. One campaigner believes “thousands” of motorists could be victims of parking charge notices (PCNs), many the result of ‘sticky’ keys as they input their registration numbers.

Motorists in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Somerset and West Yorkshire, are among those affected. require users to input their vehicle registration when buying a ticket from a machine. This is supposed to prevent them being sent a PCN when their vehicle is detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

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But numerous drivers insisted they entered their registration correctly but still received a PCN. Each said their appeals were rejected despite submitting a photo of their ticket which showed an incorrect registration was printed. Some pay it off as they feel 'bullied' by the thought of ending up in court.

described the issue as "a problem that needs to be tackled", while the RAC called for a Government-backed code of conduct to be reintroduced.

Matt Chambers, a 35-year-old business owner, said he received a £100 PCN from Excel Parking after using a car park in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, in February. He said: "They say I only registered the letter B for my number plate. That's not right. I'm adamant I put the whole number plate in because I've used that car park several times before, and it's the exact same process every time. I know how to use the machine."

He said he is continuing to challenge the PCN but "sometimes it feels easier to pay just to make them go away" even though "I've done nothing wrong".

Retired chef Lee Rogers, 67, suffered a similar problem. He received a PCN from Euro Car Parks after using a car park in Rye, East Sussex, in August last year, and later realised the ticket he bought only had one digit of his registration printed on it.

He said: "I did not stand there and key in just the first digit. Hundreds of others have had the same problem." He said he told Euro Car Parks he would "very much like to go to court" over the issue as "they know I've paid".

His partner is feeling "trepidation that someone might come knocking at the door", he added.

Mary Hawken, 79, was sent a PCN after using a car park in Praa Sands, Cornwall, in July 2024. She said: "I noticed that the WK didn't print (on my ticket) but I thought, I've got a receipt anyway, and the rest of the registration is on it, so that's fine. A week later I had a PCN. I thought, I'm not paying it, you can take me to court.

"I religiously pay for car parks. I'm not going to be bullied into this." The amount being demanded reached £170, until the case was dropped four days after she contacted her MP, Andrew George, who intervened on her behalf.

Campaigner Lynda Eagan has been researching the issue for around a decade after receiving a PCN she felt was "undeserved". She assists drivers who join a group named Private Parking Tickets - Help and Advice, which has 47,000 members.

Asked how many people in the UK she believes have been sent tickets because of faulty machines, she replied: "Literally thousands." She said: "We've got unfair PCNs issued to people simply because the machine didn't work properly. It's a totally filthy business. It's just wrong."

Ms Eagan said most machine faults involve "sticky keys" - when the buttons pressed are not correctly recorded - or devices which "encourage you to pay" before the full registration has been entered.

The latter machines are "set up to trap people", she claimed, as they accept payment even if only the first letter of a registration is entered.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "Sadly, it's abundantly clear from the multitude of examples that some parking companies are wrongly demanding 'fines' from drivers who have legitimately paid to park.

"Whether it's a faulty payment machine that records the wrong vehicle registration or an innocent mistake keying in their number plate, these people shouldn't have to pay the £100 parking charge notices they are sent.

"Many cases seem completely unjustified and should be thrown out at appeal, but sadly they so often aren't.

"We desperately need the Government to introduce the Private Parking Code of Practice to bring much-needed scrutiny to the sector."

A Bill to enable the introduction of a Government-backed code for private parking companies received royal assent under the Conservative government in March 2019. But the code was withdrawn in June 2022 after a legal challenge by parking companies.

It included halving the cap on tickets for most parking offences to £50, creating a fairer appeals system and banning the use of aggressive language on PCNs.

Ms Alexander called for private parking companies to make a "dramatic improvement" in the way they deal with the public.

She urged them to do "simple things" such as having "machines and equipment that work", and being contactable rather than providing "addresses that no-one answers letters from".

A spokesperson for trade body the British Parking Association declined to respond to the claims of faulty machines, but said someone who receives a parking charge they believe was issued in error should first contact the parking operator and provide "all the information that would be relevant for an appeal".

Excel Parking did not provide a response to the , while Euro Car Parks did not respond to their requests for a comment.

Ten key questions about parking tickets and your rights.

What are the different types of parking tickets?
Parking charge notices are issued by private companies, while penalty charge notices are issued by councils.

How do I spot the difference?
They often both feature a yellow box with black writing and a black border.
You need to read the writing carefully to tell them apart.

What is their impact?
Councils have the power to fine drivers, but private companies do not.
That is why penalty charge notices are fines but parking charge notices are demands or invoices for money.

What are parking charge notices issued for?
Parking operators issue tickets by claiming the driver breached a contractual term for using the car park.

This could include failing to enter their registration on a machine, not paying within a certain time after arrival, or staying too long.

How much are parking charge notices?
They are capped at £100. Companies generally offer discounts for quick payment.

What should I do first if I receive a parking ticket I think is unfair?
Several extensive online guides exist with advice on how to challenge a penalty charge notice or parking charge notice, such as by the RAC and consumer website Money Saving Expert.
Read those before doing anything.

What if a ticket is from a private company?
Check if they are a member of a trade body, as that will determine your next action.

What evidence should I get?
Taking photographs from the scene such as poor signage or broken payment machines can help your case.
Also keep proof of mitigating circumstances such as a receipt from a recovery company if your vehicle broke down and forced you to remain in the car park longer than planned.

Who can I complain to?
If you have received a parking charge notice you think is unfair, try contacting the landowner such as a retailer or hospital to ask if they can arrange to have it cancelled. If that is unsuccessful, consider raising the matter with your MP.

What happens if I just ignore a parking charge notice?
Some operators may take the case to a county court.
The RAC warns that drivers' credit rating will be affected if they fail to defend a claim and receive a judgment they do not pay.
Bailiffs may also try to seize your property.