CMA investigates Euro Car Parks over petrol station parking fees
Britain's competition regulator is investigating Euro Car Parks for charging drivers who queue for petrol, a probe that signals a tough new era for private parking enforcement across Europe.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Euro Car Parks to determine if it is fair to issue parking charges to drivers waiting for fuel or using car washes. The regulator is also scrutinising the company's broader appeals process for potential breaches of consumer protection law.
Euro Car Parks operates more than 3,000 facilities across the UK and Ireland, handling over two million vehicles every day. For European investors and facility operators, the probe serves as a warning that automated ticketing systems and opaque penalty structures are facing severe regulatory headwinds. The CMA has specifically warned operators against adding extra fees on top of standard parking charges.
This investigation forms a central pillar of a sweeping CMA clampdown on the private parking sector. The regulator has formally written to the entire industry and issued specific warnings to individual operators to review their terms. This follows a sharp rise in motorist complaints regarding faulty ticket machines, malfunctioning payment apps, and inadequate signage.
The sheer volume of penalties has drawn regulatory scrutiny. Research by the RAC indicates that tickets issued at supermarkets, retail parks, restaurants, and gyms more than doubled over six years, reaching 14.4 million.
"Costs are high and often unexpected which is difficult when people are budgeting carefully," said Emma Cochrane, the CMA's executive director of consumer protection. "Parking companies must treat motorists fairly at all stages – and a clear and consistent appeals process must be at the heart of this." She added: "It's time for all private parking operators to comply with consumer law or risk action from the CMA."
The CMA's evidence gathering will run until Spring 2027. Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, called the move a "major step forward in ensuring drivers are treated fairly by private parking operators". He noted the crackdown precedes a government consultation on a new Private Parking Code of Practice.
"The CMA has shone a much-needed light on the appeals process and found major problems that need to be addressed," Williams said. "We strongly hope the code will give us a single independent appeals body, instead of the two we have now – one for each of the two trade associations."
As European cities increasingly rely on privatised parking management to handle congestion, the UK's aggressive stance highlights the consumer risks inherent in outsourcing enforcement. If the CMA forces structural changes, similar models on the continent may face pressure to standardise appeals and cap penalty fees.
