Parking is one of the biggest issues facing UK drivers, with a lack of public parking leading many motorists to unlawfully park on private property. The problem is so bad that from 2020 – 2021, more than 4.4 million penalty charge notices (PCN) were issued. This means millions of drivers were found to have parked illegally on private property.
Many people don’t realise the impact parking illegally can have, especially when it comes to private land. From a reduced revenue stream as a result of paying customers being blocked off through to your staff or tenants not being able to park their vehicles due to a lack of spaces, unlawful parking can have detrimental impacts, some of which might even be financial.
This can cause a massive headache for private landowners, leading many to ask, what can be done to stop cars parking on private property?
Vehicle Clamping
Under UK law, private landowners are not permitted to clamp vehicles parked unlawfully on their land, nor can they block cars in and stop them from leaving. If you are found to do this, you will be acting illegally.
It is permissible for cars to be clamped when parked illegally on public land, but this law does not extend to private property, meaning you’ll need to think of an alternative way to enforce parking rules on your land. Luckily, there are several options.
Parking Wardens
The first and most obvious choice to prevent illegal parking is to hire parking wardens. At Countrywide Parking, we deploy fully qualified parking wardens, uniformed and professionally trained, to monitor the car parking situation on your land. They are equipped with the latest ticketing devices that enable them to take time stamped images of parked cars, as well as print out tickets that can be affixed to the windscreen with a fine enclosed.
Our wardens are free of charge, making them a viable option for every type of private landowner. We will also install visible signage to ensure motorists are aware of any charges that may be issued if they fail to comply with parking rules.
Ticketed Parking
Requiring people to purchase a ticket to park on your land is a good way to reduce parking offences because those without tickets stand out like a sore thumb. Provided you have installed clear signage detailing the consequences of not paying for a ticket, you can present the offending driver with a PCN.
At Countrywide Parking, we install pay and display systems to car parks. We offer solar powered options that give motorists the option to pay by cash, card, and even their phone, meaning there is no excuse not to pay.
ANPR
Our pay and display parking can be seamlessly integrated with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition), or ANPR can be used as an effective deterrent on its own. The way ANPR works is through the use of cameras. Generally speaking, cameras and CCTV are a deterrent to most types of criminals, including those who seek to park illegally.
ANPR provides a non-confrontational solution as it acts as a type of virtual patrolling. Essentially, a camera captures the moment a vehicle enters the car park and again when it leaves. If it has detected that a parking offence has been committed, either because the number plate is permitted to park there or because the vehicle has overstayed its welcome, a PCN is sent out in the post.
Calling the Police
Many people think they can call the police to deal with unlawful parking on private land, but in most cases, the police won’t be able to do anything, meaning it’s not an effective way to stop cars parking on private property. This is because when a person is not permitted entry onto private property, they are trespassing, and this is a civil issue rather than a criminal one.
If you think a stolen vehicle or a dangerous vehicle (i.e. one that has gas cannisters inside or something similar) is illegally parked on your property, you may be able to get the police to remove it, but these are typically the only circumstances under which they will be willing to get involved with parking disputes.
Towing the Vehicle
We never recommend towing a car parked on private property. It is surely frustrating and annoying that someone has parked their car on your property without your permission, and the urge to call a tow truck may well be there, but towing a car could land you in hot water. It’s best to first seek legal advice to see where you stand with towing the car. Not just this, but during the towing process, the offending car could get damaged, and you’ll be liable to pay for the damage.
How to Stop Cars Parking on Private Property
As a specialist parking enforcement agency, we are experts in helping private landowners to monitor the parking situation on their property. We offer site surveys where we will assess your property and discuss your concerns with you in order to find the best solution that works for you.
To learn more about how we can help you to stop cars parking on your private property, please contact us.
