AUDIO NEWS: Tradespeople pick up £119m worth of parking fines and builders urged to sign up for Open Doors

Tradespeople pick up over 2 million parking tickets and get fined £119 million in last year, planning applications jump by 68%, and firms urged to sign up for Open Doors 2026

Tradespeople have been issued with over 2 million parking tickets in the past year — that’s according to research from Direct Line Business Insurance.

In total parking fines are estimated to have cost UK tradespeople over £119 million!

Some respondents to the survey claimed they spent £6,000 a year on parking!

The survey also revealed how the threat of tool theft impacted tradespeople’s behaviour, with 48% of respondents saying they had turned down work because they couldn’t park within sight of the job.

Mark Summerville, product manager at Direct Line Business Insurance, said parking was often a challenge for tradespeople “adding stress to their working day”.

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Planning applications for new homes in England jumped by nearly 70% in the last quarter, claims fresh data from Planning Portal.

Geoff Keal, chief executive with TerraQuest, which operates the service described the growth in applications as a “clear statement of intent from housebuilders.”

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Construction firms are being urged to take part in Open Doors — a programme run by Build UK that gives youngsters an opportunity to get on site.

Running in March 2026, Opens Doors will offer pre-booked tours of building sites, offices and training centres to showcase the variety of careers available in construction.

Click here to apply.

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