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MP WELCOMES BAN ON WHEEL CLAMPING
August 17, 2010 12:49 PM
John Leech MP has today spoken of his delight following the government's announcement that a ban on wheel clamping on private land in England and Wales.
The ban will be introduced in the Government's Freedom Bill in November and will come into force shortly after Royal Assent.
Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said:
"The Government is committed to ending the menace of rogue private sector wheel-clampers once and for all.
"For too long motorists have fallen victim to unscrupulous tactics by many clamping firms. Reports of motorists being marched to cash points or left stranded after their car has been towed are simply unacceptable.
"A ban on clamping and towing on private land will end this abuse and companies who decide to flout new laws will face severe penalties."
Manchester Withington Liberal Democrat MP, John Leech said, "I am delighted the new coalition government have made the decision to crack down on these cowboy clampers.
I have been contacted by many constituents who have been victims of vehicle immobilisation and had lobbied the previous government to crack down on this very issue."
Currently, any individual undertaking wheel clamping must hold a frontline licence from the Security Industry Authority (SIA), with supervisors or directors holding a non-frontline licence.
This activity will cease once the ban is in place.
NOTES
1. The ban will apply to private land only. It will not change existing traffic enforcement by local authorities and police on highways.
2. The ban will also apply to towing away and all other forms of vehicle immobilisation. Once implemented, anyone who clamps (or otherwise immobilises) a vehicle or tows it away on private land without specific legal authority to do so will face criminal proceedings or civil sanctions.
3. There will be very limited circumstances in which legal authority to remove vehicles will remain. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) will retain the legal authority to clamp or tow away vehicles as part of its work in combating evasion of Vehicle Excise Duty. The Vehicle and Operator Services Authority has similar powers to prevent the use of un-roadworthy vehicles on the road.
4. The SIA currently licences any individual in England and Wales involved in immobilising vehicles on private land with a view to charging a release fee. It also requires the licensing of anyone involved in blocking in or towing away vehicles for the same purpose, and of those who collect the fee. This activity will cease once the ban is in place.
5. Businesses are not required to be licensed at present. Businesses may, however, seek accreditation under the SIA's voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
6. There are currently 2,150 individuals who are licensed by the SIA to clamp.
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