Wheel Clamping ban October Deadline sheds light on Alternatives

Vehicle clamping activity will become an offense in England and Wales from October this year, outlawing the clamping, towing and immobilizing of vehicles without lawful authority.

The move by the Government to outlaw the practice has been welcomed by members of the security sector who have been looking at developing alternative measures to the unpopular practice of car clamping.

Costas Constantino, from parking enforcement company, FlashPark, welcomed the move and lauded the politicians who drove the measure through.

He said, “We regard this as a step forward in the parking control world and an achievement by Lynne Featherstone MP who personally piloted the then Bill through the Parliamentary stages until it became an Act.”

Mr Constantino explained that the ban on wheel clamping would lend greater weight to parking charge notices and would also create jobs for parking monitoring staff.

“Shopping centres and retail parks and other larger organisations including colleges universities in the UK that relied on the practice to control unauthorized parking will have to hire additional security to direct traffic and to warn motorists of areas that are restricted,” he explained.

“The rest of the enforcement vacuum created by the ban will be filled by parking charge notices, which will be given more legal clout when the ban is implemented.”

Mr Constantino added that there will be tremendous scrutiny of the new measures being brought in, particularly relating to the use of automatic number plate recognition, but the use of security staff and highly-visible signage would prove very effective.

Until the ban comes into force in October, wheel clamping by licensed operatives will still be permitted in England and Wales, providing that the clampers hold an official license from the Security Industry Authority.

Contact:

Costas Constantino

Vehicle Control Solutions Ltd

West Hill House

6 Swains Lane,

Highgate, London N6 6QS

0800 096 5757