Call for private car-clampers ban

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The practice of clamping cars parked on private land should be made illegal in England and Wales, according to the AA.

The motoring group claims one in 10 drivers has been clamped or fined by private enforcers, with no independent arbitration process.

It argued government proposals for greater self-regulation would not work.

Trade body the British Parking Association said the AA had not come up with a "credible" alternative but it would welcome working with the group.

The government has said it accepts that tougher rules are needed and new legislation will be introduced in 2010.

Wheel clamping is already banned altogether in Scotland, while in Northern Ireland only unlicensed vehicles can be clamped.

'Money-raking'

The AA said the prevalence of "bad and immoral practices" among private parking firms in England and Wales was "shocking and unacceptable", with some people being charged more than £500 to retrieve a towed car.

It cited the case of one woman who it said had pulled up in her car for just a few seconds only for it to be clamped while she sat in it with the engine still running.

It is so easy for private enforcers to use the DVLA's vehicle database to obtain a car owner's name and address that "anyone can now set themselves up and start to cash in", the organisation said.

Code of practice

The AA said there were few rules governing the industry and new proposals put forward by the government would not work.

Under a suggested new government system - one of a series of proposals put out to consultation - all wheel-clamping businesses would be forced to register with an approved trade association (ATA) and be bound by a code of practice.

Only then would they be granted a licence to clamp and remove vehicles.

However, the AA said the only ATA, the British Parking Association, was not truly independent and did not have the powers to regulate an "out of control" industry.

Patrick Troy, chief executive of the BPA, said its code of practice for member companies was "a good first step to improving standards", but conceded more government action was needed.

"Our scheme is not perfect and we would welcome working with the AA further on the concerns they raise in their consultation response as we are sure positive solutions can be found by working together," he said.

But he added: "We have invited them to join our board which oversees the scheme but they have resolutely refused to do so.

"The AA has not produced a credible plan to address these issues."

The government has suggested other measures to regulate wheel clamping, including setting a maximum amount that companies can charge and a minimum amount of time before a clamped car can be towed away.

A Home Office spokesman said: "That consultation has now ended and we are considering the responses. We will publish the findings later in the year."

I must admit i have heard of Clampers ( and ticket wardens) clamping/ticketing service vehicles like Ambulance, Doctors, Fire and police vehicles.
Some of these people are nothing but bullies. there should be a set charge that they can make - like parking tickets But these should only be allowed by registered clampers who can prove that the car was parked ILLEGALLY! or blocking an entrance/exit during working hours

just out to make money the tossers, a lady i work with got clamped outside her own house and had to pay £500, the clamping firm did the whole street, they said they had put signs up saying they needed a pass, no signs were ever found they all got a refund, the firm was told to feck off.

good for them Dee! Traffic wardens round here are useless, if i complain coz sum twit has parked over my drive and blocked me in they do nothing Yet ive signed a form saying that agree to them giving parking tickets if anyone parks over my drive way - sorry dropped kerb, BUT even then they have to have the WHOLE WHEEL over the dropped bit. Ye it is illegal so i have been told to park over a dropped kerb. We have yellow lines down one side of the road - that we asked for due to the way people parked allday from 6am -9pm To darn tight to pay a car park fee, but feel it ok go to to work EARN a wage and block residents from getting on/off their drives or blocking service vehicles.
I had a disagrement with a bank employee for parking over my drive - he got abusive to me so i contacted he police! well hes never done it since nor have any of the banking staff of that branch! He did come to apologize and when i stated the reasons why we complain about the way him and others parked he actually understood.

i park of road, most of the street park on the path, glad i don`t have a pram. all we need is a warden to come along and they are all paying out.