Parking is one of the biggest frustrations for UK motorists. Studies reveal that 64% of British drivers feel stressed when trying to find a parking spot, and 26% have even abandoned trips due to parking difficulties. Additionally, 52% of UK drivers consider poor parking to be their main pet peeve on the roads.
To explore the issue further, in this campaign we’ve analysed Freedom of Information data from 196 councils to uncover England’s top parking complaint hotspots - highlighting the areas where parking problems are most prevalent.
From blocked driveways and permit issues to illegal parking and unclear signage, the data highlights the parts of England where parking frustrations could be reaching boiling point.
Where are England’s biggest parking problem areas?
Our new data reveals where drivers are most fed up with parking problems across England - and some of the results may surprise you.
We submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 196 councils across the country - including all 32 London boroughs - to uncover the worst areas in England for parking-related complaints.
We wanted to know where local residents are most likely to raise concerns about parking issues, from illegal parking and blocked driveways to permit disputes and poor signage.
The worst regions for parking complaints in England
Unsurprisingly, Greater London came out on top with over 5,000 complaints in the last year. But outside of the capital, Kent and Hertfordshire recorded the most parking issues, followed closely by Devon, Gloucestershire, and West Sussex.
These are the top 10 counties based on the number of parking complaints reported to councils between February 2024 and February 2025:
| Rank | County | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater London | 5,120 |
| 2 | Kent | 1,415 |
| 3 | Hertfordshire | 1088 |
| 4 | Devon | 867 |
| 5 | Gloucestershire | 732 |
| 6 | West Sussex | 670 |
| 7 | Essex | 616 |
| 8 | Hampshire | 539 |
| 9 | Lincolnshire | 323 |
| 10 | Suffolk | 156 |
What are parking complaints?
Parking complaints are reports made by members of the public - usually to local councils or authorities - about issues or disputes relating to how and where vehicles are parked. These complaints can cover a wide range of concerns and typically reflect frustration with accessibility, safety, or enforcement in public or residential areas.
For example, our research covered a wide range of issues, including:
- Illegal or dangerous parking
- Misuse of blue badge or permit bays
- Blocked driveways
- Confusing or missing parking signage
- Disputes over parking fines and enforcement
And it’s clear from the thousands of complaints we uncovered that parking continues to be a major issue for drivers and residents alike.
What we found - and what it means
We know from speaking to our customers that parking can make or break your daily driving experience. Whether you’re leasing a car in a commuter town or navigating city centre congestion, finding a spot and avoiding a ticket can be stressful.
Our data suggests that councils across the country are under pressure to address local parking concerns, and that improvements in signage, enforcement, and space availability could make a real difference.
We asked our CEO John Wilmot what he thought about the data:
“The frustration around parking is clearly a national issue, but it’s interesting to see the regions that are seemingly the worst affected.
“From permit issues to illegal parking in residential areas, the data suggests that parking continues to be a challenging issue for many areas, with local councils facing high demand and pressure on enforcement teams. These complaints aren’t just about inconvenience - they often reflect wider concerns about safety, accessibility, and quality of life in local neighbourhoods.
“Of course, not every council was able to provide complete data, and different councils log complaints differently, but this gives a good idea of where parking problems could be piling up.
“It also highlights the importance of councils investing in ample and accessible parking solutions, with clear signage and consistent enforcement that meet the needs of both residents and visitors.”
How we collected the parking complaints data
To understand the volume of parking-related complaints across England, we submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 196 local authorities, comprising 164 district councils in England and the 32 London boroughs. The list of councils was based on the most recent official Government register, which can be found here: List of councils in England (2023).
We asked each council to provide:
- The total number of parking-related complaints received between 10th February 2024 and 10th February 2025
- A breakdown of complaints by category, where possible (e.g. illegal parking, misuse of disabled bays, residential permit issues, parking enforcement concerns, etc.)
Not all councils responded to the request, and several were unable to provide the data due to internal logging practices or time limitations in responding to FOI requests.
Where data was available, we calculated the total number of parking complaints for each of the 23 counties of England. For each county, we aggregated the data from its relevant district councils. For example, the Lincolnshire total includes figures from Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council, Lincoln City Council, North Kesteven District Council, South Holland District Council, South Kesteven District Council, West Lindsey District Council.
Due to variations in how each council categorises and logs complaints, we were unable to provide a standardised breakdown of complaint types across all counties. So the figures reflect the total number of complaints related to parking, including (but not limited to):
- Illegal parking (e.g. Waiting and loading offences, obstructions, pavement/kerb parking etc.)
- Misuse of blue badge bays/permits
- Residential and visitor permit issues
- Parking enforcement contentions and concerns
- Car park signage problems
- Faulty parking ticket machines
- Availability of parking spaces
This campaign highlights the top 10 counties with the highest number of parking related complaints, but full data is available upon request. Want to see the full dataset or speak to our press team? Drop us a line at press@leaseloco.com - we’re happy to help.