Andy Burnham brings in major new parking rule impacting everyone – here's how

Fresh parking regulations introduced under Andy Burnham have come under fire. The Labour Party government confirmed last week that drivers will be guaranteed five minutes to decide whether to park, and 10 minutes to vacate after their parking session concludes, before facing a penalty charge under the new legislation. The prime minister announced that a new official code of practice for the industry would grant motorists in England, Scotland and Wales a host of new rights.

However, consumer watchdog Which? argued the "long overdue" regulations appeared to fall well short of what was required to help drivers fight back against private parking "cowboys". Meanwhile, campaign group IAM RoadSmart insisted more could be done for drivers, with two key updates topping their wishlist, reports Birmingham Live . Director of Policy, Nicholas Lyes said: "It is welcome to see new protections put in place for drivers through a single code of practice; however, we would have liked to see a single appeals system and action against debt recovery organisations as part of the package.

"Ultimately, we need to get to a place where parking on private land is a seamless, straightforward, and clear process, not one fraught with potential traps which leaves drivers unfairly out of pocket." Which? also criticised the government for sidestepping an independent appeals body "that could rein in the industry's worst practices" and failing to tackle private parking debt recovery fees, which it claimed were routinely added without drivers' knowledge, pushing already unjust charges even higher.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams commented: "This a step in the right direction to protect drivers from the poor practices of some private parking companies but not the leap we've been campaigning for for so long. "We've long called for the banning of debt recovery fees being added on top of parking charge notices (PCNs) and a single independent appeals body to replace the two industry-run ones, but neither have been included which is disappointing."

The Government has also announced measures to tackle second-hand car dealers who alter mileage clocks. While selling a "clocked car" is already illegal under fraud laws, adding it to an official list of prohibited practices will make it easier for enforcement bodies to intervene. Greg Smith, a shadow transport minister, said: “Andy Burnham posing as the driver’s friend is a joke. This is the same Labour Government that is doubling parking fines right across England.

Five minutes’ grace in a supermarket car park will not fool anyone.