MP asking Sheffield residents to complete survey if they have been given a 'bogus' parking ticket

Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley, has launched a new campaign to tackle unjust parking fines and unscrupulous car park companies.

She has said that the ‘Government needs to take action’ on unregulated private parking companies and has now launched a survey to show the severity of the problem.

Louise Haigh said: “It’s now two years since Parliament told the Government to deal with this issue and yet no new law has been introduced.

"As a result, car park vendors are continuing to issue bogus fines to drivers.

“The Government needs to take action to properly regulate the industry but, in the meantime, I’ll be doing what I can locally to put pressure on these rip-off merchants.

"Local people can help me to name and shame the worst offenders by completing my survey.”

In one such case, Keith Dungworth was wrongly issued with a fine for £100 after being falsely accused of parking his car at St Mary’ Gate retail park in Sheffield for an entire day.

Keith had only briefly dropped off his wife at the car park in the morning and then picked her up in the evening.

Fortunately, he was able to successfully appeal the fine and show ‘evidence’, so the case was withdrawn – but he says others may not be so lucky.

Keith Dungworth said: “These unscrupulous parking companies are preying on people. It’s totally wrong.

“In my case, I was lucky that I happened to have evidence which proved that I wasn’t in the car park all day.

"But others won’t have proof of their whereabouts and will be forced to pay unjust fines.

“I fully support Louise Haigh’s campaign and ask that people complete her survey so that we can put a stop to this daylight robbery.”

In March 2019, Parliament passed a Bill instructing the Government to introduce new rules governing private cark parks.

However, as of yet, Ministers have failed to do so and no new laws have been put in place.

Visit www.louisehaigh.org.uk/parking to complete the survey.