94% of parents back fines for misusing parent and child parking bays

When we asked whether parking fines for misusing parent and child bays should be rolled out nationwide, the response from MadeForMums readers was loud and clear.

An overwhelming 94% said yes, it is long overdue.

It comes as Tesco confirms it is trialling stronger enforcement in some stores, with warning signs stating that misuse of parent and child bays “may result in a PARKING CHARGE”, with penalties of up to £100 in some locations.

What our poll revealed

More than 2,500 of you voted in our Instagram poll asking: should parking fines for misusing parent and child bays be rolled out nationwide?

The result was decisive:

• 94% said “Yes – it’s long overdue”
• 6% said “No – it’s going too far”

In the comments, many mums said the issue is not about convenience, but safety.

One follower wrote: “It’s SOOOOOOOO annoying when you can’t get a space and you see a guy on his own pull in to the LAST spot! Seen this so much since having my 5 month old.”

Another said: “Yes!! The arguments I’ve had with people who park there for fun. Although the age needs to be lowered. Your 12 year old does not need the extra space. You hold the door for them. It should be for children who still need assistance getting in and out of a car seat.”

And one grandparent commented: “I get sick of seeing old pensioners sticking their car in them in our car parks in the city and scuttling off to town whilst my daughter and her two small children struggle to get a space to allow the pushchair to come out of the boot and manoeuvre the children’s car seats to grab the children. Nobody should use them except parents with small children… It’s selfish.”

Why are Tesco issuing fines?

Tesco has confirmed it has employed enforcement officer teams to monitor its car parks and ensure bays are used correctly.

Red and white signs have appeared on bollards in some stores, reading: “Parent and child only. Misuse of these bays may result in a PARKING CHARGE.”

According to Tesco’s parking terms, where signage displays a £100 Parking Charge Notice, this may be reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. In some car parks operated by APCOA and Horizon Parking, the charge is £70, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.

A Tesco spokesperson said that its car parks are “regularly monitored by car parking enforcement teams” to ensure the bays are used correctly.

The supermarket also confirmed the new signage is currently being run as a pilot in selected stores.

Who can use a parent and child bay?

One of the biggest questions from parents is who actually qualifies.

According to the RAC, parent and child bays are “reserved for parents or guardians with one or more children under 12 years old”. The wider bays are “designed to give parents enough space to manoeuvre their young children in and out of their cars”.

Tesco has said that the bays are intended for parents or carers taking children into the store, with a suggested maximum age of under 12.

The supermarket also confirmed that “heavily pregnant women” can use parent and child parking bays.

However, there is no national law covering parent and child spaces. Supermarkets set their own policies, which means rules can vary between retailers and even between individual stores.

It’s about space, not proximity

For many families, the extra width is the real issue.

As one mum put it in the comments: “It’s not about being close, it’s about getting a baby out of the car!”

Parent and child bays are typically located near store entrances, but their main purpose is to provide additional room for opening doors fully, lifting babies out of car seats and manoeuvring pushchairs safely in busy car parks.

With cars getting bigger and car seats becoming bulkier, that extra space can make a stressful supermarket run feel a little more manageable.

What happens if someone misuses a bay?

If you spot someone parking in a parent and child bay without a child, guidance generally advises reporting it to a store manager or member of staff rather than confronting the driver.

In Tesco stores where enforcement is in place, misuse may result in a Parking Charge Notice, depending on the signage displayed in that car park.

For now, the trial is limited to selected stores, and signage may differ from branch to branch.

But if our poll is anything to go by, many parents would welcome tougher enforcement nationwide, especially if it means one less battle on an already busy day.