Government Promises the Introduction of Stricter Clamping Laws

New laws to help regulate wheel clampers have been promised by the Government following the "Curb the Clampers" campaign by the Doncaster Free Press.

After a debate in the House of Commons held by MP Rosie Winterton it has been decided that new legislation will be introduced to impose tougher conditions on wheel clamping operators.

Miss Winterton, Doncaster Central MP, teamed up with the Doncaster news provider the Free Press to launch the "Curb the Clampers campaign to demand more rigorous regulations be introduced as part of the Crime and Security Act.

Winterton said that many victims were forced to pay in cash, at sums of hundreds of pounds to ensure the return of their vehicles.

She said: "I want to thank the Doncaster Free Press for the campaign that it has been running with me to highlight how vulnerable elderly people, young mothers with children and, frankly, people who can least afford it are being stung for large amounts of money.

"I say "stung" because many such companies use every trick in the book to get round the legislation as it stands.

"The Doncaster Free Press and I have received endless complaints from local people about a company called Park Rite, which operates in Doncaster.

"The company has concealed signs covered with minute writing, so that it is impossible to read that a particular location is a private car park, and it charges extortionate fees."

New regulation will force car park management companies to provide larger warning signs, lengthy paperwork and to allow clamped drivers to use credit and debit cars to make payments. Clampers will laso no longer be able to target the elderly, women with children and an independent appeals process will be set up with a cap on fines.

The Doncaster Free Press stated that hundred of people signed the Curb the Clampers petition.

Posted Friday June 18^th 2010
By The Onlines