MSE News: British Parking Association agrees to face its critics

trisontana

Ezmondino wrote: »

The BPA were on radio 5 live this morning, but there doesn't seem to be a recording on the BBC site. They were talking mostly about clamping.

Recent news story about clamping here though:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8317867.stm

They were also on BBC Breakfast this morning. Unfortunately nobody asked the right questions re unenforceable invoices etc. Instead they were sidetracked and starting talking about unregistered private clamping firms and a council that supposedly were giving incentives to their traffic wardens to book more motorists.

There is "summit" being held today with the BPA, motoring organisations and the government taking part. As usual I don't expect anything constructive coming out of it. A first move would to ban all private clamping firms, as was done in Scotland.

peter_the_piper

I suspected something like this would happen, which is why I counseled for a more even handed approach. I don't know if we could have got our ideas across to them and possibly got them to understand that the way they were proceeding was always likely to be confrontational but I thought it was worth a try. Knowing we have only the AA on our side and a government deeply in debt I can only see regulation coming out of this and, of course, the opportunity to wring more taxes out of us. Lets hope they make as much a hash of any legislation as many of our councils do.

BFG_2

Whilst the gov might be broke, I can't see them helping out clamping firms ...just on the off chance that they get a bit of VAT and tax from them if they issue/enforce more 'fines'.

peter_the_piper

I'm probably too paranoid, I expect vat to go up to 20% soon and that would add up to a rather large amount over a year and we all know how Brown and Mandy think motorists are a cash cow.

trisontana

You and Yours had somebody from the BPA on today (Real Player)

The usually waffle from them, but some sensible points made by the guy from Windsor Council. Also listen out right at the end for the bit about France and super-glue!

BFG_2

been on hols...was so looking forward to readinbg the BPAs responses

Have they been deleted in my absence??

Is the person still an ickle bit poorly??

Coblcris

Their failure to rebut the matters of fact raised in this thread has to now be considered as acceptance.

Perhaps the title if this thread should be changed to
"The BPA fails to answer its critics"
That would be accurate.

BFG_2

Coblcris wrote: »

Perhaps the title if this thread should be changed to
"The BPA fails to answer its critics"
That would be accurate.

How about we all PM the OP??

Coupon-mad

BFG wrote: »

How about we all PM the OP??

Let's do that now, and keep this thread on the first page so others can see what happened (or didn't happen).

What title shall we ask for?

Paul_Herring

I've PM'd suggesting "BPA refuses to face its critics"

I'm sure the title won't change however, since it's linked to one of the 'stories' and threads tend to stick to the same title as the stories. (And at the time the BPA did say they'd answer questions.)

Maybe another 'story' is required to point out the lack of communication?