Labour seeks private clampers ban

The Labour Party has called on the Government to follow Britain’s example and introduce a ban on clamping on private land.

British home office minister Lynne Featherstone said today the measure would tackle rogue operators who exploit drivers by charging “exorbitant fees”.

Ms Featherstone said previous efforts to curb the activities of unscrupulous clampers had failed and England and Wales would now follow Scotland which introduced a ban nearly two decades ago. Only unlicensed vehicles can be clamped in Northern Ireland.

Under the legislation, private firms would be banned from clamping or towing vehicles but would still be able to ticket parked cars. Landowners could also install barriers to prevent parking.

Once in force, anyone who clamps a vehicle or tows it away on private land will face fines or prison. Only police or councils will be allowed to immobilise or remove a car in exceptional circumstances, such as when it is blocking a road.

Ms Featherstone said despite a high number of complaints about clamping firms and the poor signage sometimes used to warn drivers, there had been "very, very few" prosecutions. She said some firms were operating a "sort of entrapment" and an outright ban was the right answer.

More than 2,000 existing clamping licences will be revoked under the plans for England and Wales.

British motoring organisations hailed the “momentous” move, which will be introduced in the Freedom Bill in November and could be in place by early next year.

Labour’s environment spokeswoman Joanna Tuffy said today there is a “strong case” for a similar initiative in Ireland. She said clamping is being used by some private landowners as a form of revenue raising.

“People parking in hotel, hospital or shopping centre parks often find themselves clamped, without adequate signage warning them of the need to pay and then facing an exorbitant charge to have their car unclamped,” Ms Tuffy said.

She accused Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey of “consistently refusing” to consider regulation of private clampers.

The Irish Parking Association, which represents Ireland’s main clamping companies, has previously called for an overhaul of the sector and criticised the lack of regulation.

Motorists are routinely targeted by rogue car clampers taking advantage of a  major loophole in the current law, Fine Gael transport spokesman Simon Coveney TD said.

"This loophole allows almost anyone to set  up  a  clamping  company  and  target  the  public without any form of regulation," he added.

Additional reporting: PA