Drivers are set to receive new legal protections from private parking operators as the Government backs plans to ban cowboy firms from accessing motorists' details and issuing fines.

Independent parking companies are issuing almost 13 times more illegitimate tickets than a decade ago, making as much as £100million a year. The government has confirmed that it will support new legislation aimed at raising standards among parking companies to stop drivers being subject to unreasonably large charges and threats.

The RAC estimates that the total value of illegitimate parking tickets issued by private companies in a single year could be as much as £100million. Nearly 10,000 people approached the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for advice on private parking tickets last year.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government says drivers are increasingly complaining of inconsistent practices, substandard signage, confusing appeals processes and intimidating payment letters.

“For too long drivers have suffered from unjust fines at the hands of dodgy parking firms,” said Secretary of State for Communities Sajid Javid.

Under the proposed plans a new code of practice will be developed in conjunction with motorists groups. Those falling foul of the rules will then be blocked from accessing DVLA data, with the aim of forcing them out of the industry. The DVLA makes more than £1.4million a month from selling motorists' information to companies for £2.50 a vehicle.