Brakes put on private clampers

Published 21 Aug 2010 08:00 0 Comments

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RESIDENTS who say they are “held to ransom” by car clampers are rejoicing after the Government announced plans to put the brakes on the practice.

People who live on the part-built Jennett’s Park estate, in Bracknell, have welcomed the Government’s announcement this week that it intends to outlaw clamping on private land under its Freedom Bill in November, giving only police and councils clamping powers.

Residents have reported cars with children inside, delivery drivers reading maps and workmen carrying out repairs nearby being clamped.

Faye Carr-Jones, whose mother was clamped while helping Miss Carr-Jones’ 89-year-old grandmother cross the road, said: “My grandmother was crying. It was so cruel.”

Miss Carr-Jones, 27, was at the playground off Osprey Avenue with her children Sam, six, and Mia, one, on Thursday, August 5, when her mother pulled up to quickly drop off her grandmother because it was too far for her to walk to see the children play.

But an eagle-eyed clamper was there in 20 seconds and demanded a £250 release fee. The family, which is waiting for its second parking place to be built, paid up to be released but are fighting for a refund.

Miss Carr-Jones said: “The clamping ban’s a bit too late for us. We hope though it will stop it happening to other people.”

Resident Chris Wright, 32, director of an air-conditioning installation company, added: “It is excellent news.

“People who turn up haven’t got a clue that this is a clamping zone until they get clamped. We are held to ransom by the clampers.”

A spokeswoman for the Jennett’s Park Consortium, comprising developers Persimmon Homes and Redrow Homes, employs Park Direct Ltd to carry out parking enforcement on the site.

She said that appropriate signs had been in place since clamping was introduced for principal estate roads in 2008.

She said: “Although we sympathise with residents over the clamping, the consortium has a health and safety responsibility for the principal road network until it is adopted by the highways authority.”

A spokesman for Park Direct Ltd said the case for Miss Carr-Jones is under review. He said: “It is not possible for us to comment on the Government announcement because until it has been debated by Parliament, it is not possible to know what is going to happen.”

He added: “We are a professional company and act totally in accordance with the guidelines set by the British Parking Association.”

The estate is due to be completed by 2014-15 but a date has not yet been set for when Bracknell Forest Council will take over responsibility.

Vincent Paliczka, director of environment, culture and communities at BFC, said the council does not employ a clamping company to carry out patrols and said private landlords would still need to protect their land.

This article appeared in Villager 19 Aug 10

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