Council's three cheers for clamping ban start date

The Royal Borough has given three cheers for the news that the much-awaited ban on wheel clamping is to start on Monday 1 October.

For the past three years the council has been fighting for the abolition of clamping on private land following the bitter experiences of both local residents and visitors at the hands of clamping companies which impose exorbitant fines for even minor parking errors.

Now, with Royal Assent for the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, there is a date for the ban to be introduced.

Cllr Phill Bicknell, cabinet member for highways, transport and environment, said he welcomed the news unreservedly.

He said: "Thousands of drivers across the country will be hanging out the flags on 1 October.

"This is fantastic news for us in the Royal Borough where, time after time, we have seen drivers penalised for the most trivial of offences in private car parks, often for simply leaving their car slightly over a parking space line.

"Visitors to our borough have told us horror stories of how their holidays or day trips have been ruined by the antics of clamping companies. Our view is that cowboy clampers have had it their own way for far too long but thankfully their heyday is coming to an end."

The Royal Borough does not use clamping in its own car parks and has in the past investigated the use of anti-social behaviour orders as way of cracking down on over-enthusiastic clamping companies operating locally.

Over the coming months the council will offer private car park operators in the borough advice and support to help them meet the requirements of the new law.

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