Investigators tackle rogue Gatwick parking firms

A multi-agency operation has been attempting to crack down on the rogue parking operators around Gatwick Airport.

The BBC joined a team from the airport, West Sussex Trading Standards and police in search of fraudulent parking services four miles (6.4km) from the airport.

About 150 vehicles were found next to a scrapyard, with cars parked bumper to bumper, despite their owners having been told it was "premium parking".

Another holidaymaker, Dani, told the BBC she needed the help of the police to locate her car after her parking operator failed to return it after a trip to Italy.

Dani said: "When we found our car, it was filthy and things have been emptied from our glove box."

The car was not damaged and Dani did not receive a fine, but said she knew "lots of people who had".

Other holidaymakers have returned home to find companies have simply left their vehicles at the airport short stay, where they picked up a fine.

Oliver Bedford, director of airport access, marketing and commercial products at Gatwick Airport, said: "It's shocking to see the state of the cars and placement of them and therefore the impact it has had on our passengers."

He said the airport was working with Trading Standards and police to crack down on the rogue operators, but advised people to be cautious when booking airport parking.

Trading Standards statistics show that 130 customers reported issues with car parking companies at the West Sussex airport in 2024, up from 73 in 2022.

In some instances, vehicles have been left in fields and local highways.

Bedford has advised passengers to look for the ParkMark, an accreditation mark issued by the British Parking Association, plus Trading Standards information, to ensure the businesses they use are legitimate.

He said customers could also look for independent reviews online, and should be cautious of prices which are "too good to be true".

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