A new survey has found that the overwhelming majority of drivers want to see penalties imposed on motorists who selfishly park during the festive season.
Research discovered more than eight out of 10 people believe inconsiderate parking behaviours should result in some form of punishment.
Offences such as vehicles positioned across multiple spaces and cars blocking access to bays were among the top issues raised by drivers.
The findings highlight significant frustration among motorists during what is typically one of the busiest periods for car parks nationwide.
With Christmas shopping in full swing, the study revealed deep-seated annoyance at drivers who fail to park considerately.
When asked which sanctions they would support, formal warning notices emerged as one of the most favoured options, with close to one-third of respondents backing this approach.
Fines of less than £50 proved equally popular, attracting similar levels of support from surveyed drivers, the survey detailed.
Steeper financial penalties also garnered considerable backing, with nearly one quarter of participants expressing a preference for fines exceeding £50.
Drivers showed more support for parking penalties to be increased during the Christmas period
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PAThe results have suggested that while Britons want action taken against thoughtless parkers, many favour measured responses over more extreme interventions.
Penalties and official warnings clearly represented the preferred deterrents for the majority of surveyed drivers, indicating most people believe financial consequences or formal notices would be sufficient to discourage poor parking etiquette during the Christmas rush.
Larne O’Donoghue, marketing director at YourParkingSpace, said: “Inconsiderate parking is a real bugbear among drivers at Christmas who suffer the consequences of less courteous drivers showing little seasonal joy.
“It is, perhaps, no surprise to see strong support for punishing those who, somehow, think it is acceptable to straddle two spaces or block bays.”
Drivers backed increasing penalties to more than £50 for poor parking
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GETTYMr O’Donoghue’s remarks underscored how thoughtless parking during the Christmas period can quickly cause issues for fellow road users. However, the survey revealed a significant minority favour considerably tougher measures against parking offenders.
More than one in 10 respondents expressed support for adding penalty points to driving licences or requiring guilty motorists to undergo compulsory parking re-tests.
Slightly smaller numbers backed more punitive approaches, including publicly identifying offenders either online or within the car park itself.
Vehicle impoundment and community service orders also attracted support from a comparable proportion of those questioned.
Experts revealed growing interest in increasing penalties for drivers who park inconcisderately
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Most surprisingly, the ultimate sanction of imprisonment received backing from just under five per cent of survey participants.
While these harsher penalties attracted minority support, their inclusion demonstrates the depth of feeling among some drivers about inconsiderate parking during the festive period. Mr O’Donoghue offered practical advice for motorists hoping to sidestep parking frustrations this Christmas.
He said: “The easiest way to avoid parking disputes and potential penalties over the festive period is to pre-book a managed bay, helping drivers park correctly first time.”
“Pre-booking also removes the stress of driving around and searching for a space on the day, so drivers can give full concentration to their parking and then look forward to an enjoyable Christmas period.”
