New parking laws giving motorists a “grace period” have come into force.

But there was a warning from motoring groups that thousands of motorists risk falling foul of the new parking rules.

Councils including Kirklees and Calderale have been told to implement the new rules which grant drivers a 10-minute ‘grace’ period beyond the time shown on a parking ticket.

But motoring groups have warned that the rules do not apply to parking on single or double yellow lines, in permit bays or in front of dropped kerbs. And they do not apply to privately-run car parks, such as those at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and at retail sites in the town, such as the Leeds Road Retail Park or the Great Northern Retail Park.

A Kirklees spokesman said:: “We will, along with all other councils, be implementing the changes introduced under the new statutory guidance on parking.”

Last year, the council handed out 30, 253 penalty notices for parking fines, up from 27,163 in the previous 12 months.

Those tickets brought in more than £1.5m to the council.

The changes have come in as part of a crackdown on ‘cowboy’ council parking practices. They will apply in local authority car parks and on-street parking bays. But they will not extend to vehicles parked in car parks and parking bays if a ticket hasn’t been fixed on it first.

The 10-minute grace period kicks in only at the point when the time printed on the ticket expires.

The AA has long argued that a £40 penalty charge for a brief overstay of a few minutes is particularly unfair and disproportionate. Whilst some councils are sympathetic when drivers challenge and give reasons for an overstay, it still does not go far enough – so having an official grace period at least gives drivers a small degree of leeway.

The AA has urged drivers to keep their parking tickets so if they are sent a penalty charge notice through the post days after they parked, the ticket provides the evidence to support a ’10-minute rule’ appeal.

“At last, we are beginning to see local authority parking enforcement that reflects the realities of modern life. It is a shame and an indictment of local authority attitudes towards drivers that central government has had to step in to enforce this ‘grace period’,” says Edmund King, the AA’s president.