Road Traffic Act 1974

A person must not detain a parked motor vehicle by —

failing to release the vehicle on demand to a relevant person for the vehicle; or

refusing to release the vehicle unless a relevant person for the vehicle makes any payment for or in relation to the release.

Subsection (1) does not apply if the vehicle is detained —

by, or with the consent of, a relevant person for the vehicle; or

in the exercise of authorised enforcement action; or

in the exercise of a security power; or

under and in accordance with a written law; or

in the exercise of a right under a parking agreement, where —

the vehicle is parked in a parking facility; and

the means of detention is the permanent infrastructure controlling entry to, or exit from, the parking facility; and

under the parking agreement, the payment of a fee is a condition of the vehicle being allowed to leave the parking facility;

in circumstances prescribed by the regulations.