Brits risk £100 fine for easy parking mistake during Christmas shopping

Drivers have been warned that they face a £100 penalty charge notice for parking in a certain spot (Image: Getty)

Motorists have been urged to never use a certain type of parking space seen in most public car parks if they own a petrol or diesel-powered vehicle.

As the number of electric vehicles on UK roads increases, various public car parks are having chargers installed to help make replenishing the battery a more convenient process.

However, Matthew Alford, EV expert from Electric Solar, recommended that drivers should never use these spaces if they have a petrol, diesel, or self-charging hybrid model.

He advised: "Do not park petrol or diesel vehicles in EV-only spaces. These parking spots are reserved exclusively for electric vehicles that require charging.

"If a non-electric car occupies one of these spaces, they could face penalties between £70 to £100."

Petrol and diesel cars cannot park in the 71,400 electric vehicle charging bays across the UK (Image: Getty)

According to the charging service ZapMap, there are currently 71,400 charging points at more than 36,000 locations throughout the UK, with the figure constantly rising.

Whilst the rollout of chargers is helping to boost the EV infrastructure, owners of petrol or diesel vehicles must not park in them, which could prevent electric car drivers from replenishing the battery.

Non-electric vehicles who are caught using EV charging bays could be issued a penalty charge notice (PCN), which could be as high as £100.

Similarly, EV owners should only use these spaces if they need to replenish their vehicle's battery (Image: Getty)

Similarly, Matthew advised electric car owners to only use charging bays if they need to replenish their vehicle's battery pack.

He continued: "Electric vehicle charging spaces are reserved strictly for drivers who are actively charging their batteries.

"Parking in these spaces without needing to charge not only inconveniences other EV users, and can result in a hefty penalty notice of up to £100."

Finally, Electric Solar recommended that EV owners thinking about using a charging bay make sure they plan their visit correctly to avoid further penalties.

Many public car parks, particularly near to shops such as supermarkets, enforce different time limits depending on the time of day, with those visiting at night typically having heavier restrictions.

These limits also apply to electric vehicle owners charging their car, meaning it is vital that motorists check the restrictions for the time they are visiting.