Clamp down on the clampers! says Alcock

11.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 10th Jul 2009

Car with wheel clamp

The Liberal Democrats have uncovered evidence that many private clampers are paid £50 for every car clamped.

"Many of the private companies clamp people who may not have committed an offence or infringed any parking conditions. People will pay the release fees simply to get their vehicle back, even if they know they are in the right and the clampers in the wrong," says Mark Alcock, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Oldham West & Royton.

"It is quite wrong that there should be financial incentives for private companies to go round clamping vehicles. Only public bodies such as the police or councils, or agents acting for them on a fixed-contract basis should carry out clamping.

"In other cases, such as with parking tickets, a motorist has a right of appeal to the courts."

A dossier produced by the Liberal Democrats shows that the combination of clamping targets for employees, £50 commissions for each car immobilised and no charge to the landowner all encourage clamping companies to immobilise cars for profit.

Mark Alcock and the Liberal Democrats have joined the RAC's call for wheel clamping to be outlawed on private land, as has been the case in Scotland since 1992. The Home Office is consulting on a review of clamping legislation, including proposals to license clamping companies, rather than their employees.