MSE News: Wheel clamping to be banned on private land

peter_the_piper

Can you point us in the direction of all these political parties pledges to "sort the problems out".

lucylucky

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Can you point us in the direction of all these political parties pledges to "sort the problems out".

Indeed, it appears not to be that high on the current list of priorities of many MSPs.

trisontana

bigturnip wrote: »

People keep saying this, but it's completely absurd to think they are coping. Political parties in Scotland even campaign to sort out the parking problems in some Scottish Towns and cities.

Are these "problems" caused by unauthorised parking on private land, or by the lack of public parking spaces?

bromsgrovebarry

geordieracer wrote: »

So you still haven't given me a satisfactory answer have you. In fact you have given me no answer to my question at all.

give yourself 2 MSE points

and give yourself a life

TheBogsDollocks

bigturnip wrote: »

I have no objection to a ban on clamping if a suitable alternative is made available for landowners to regulate parking on their land.

Unfortunately BT, Govt will not focus on what your objections are but will pay more attention to what the majority of voters want.

Yes democracy takes note of minority sensibilities but it would be a pointless democracy if minorities were given what they wanted ahead of the majority view.

You need to relax, wait and see what materialises first and then be vociferous if small businesses are left powerless. Nothing yet is concrete and as I keep repeating, it is unlikely that a middle ground is not found.

Coupon-mad

Just noticed that anti-clamping Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone hasn't got a clue as to whether PPC tickets are enforceable or not! Or am I reading her blog wrong?

I think she needs some reasoned, polite replies to put her right so the Government don't do something stupid in the Freedom Bill about ticketing:

http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2010/08/wheel-clamping-continued.htm

What IS she on about here?

QUOTE
But what to do about the owners of private land? Of course – there has to be something to take the place of wheel clamping – some deterrent to prohibit people from parking on private property. Landowners have an absolute right to protect their land from people parking on it. So – in Scotland private landowners either protected that land by a barrier method or switched to ticketing.
Ticketing is highly regulated and consumer protection legislation already applies. There is already an independent appeals process in place – and it is a good and proportionate deterrent.
QUOTE

:eek:

Coupon-mad

Just doing a general browse of Transport Extra and found this that made me chuckle:

QUOTE
The impending ban on wheel clamping will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Vehicle Immobiliser Network, which is being held in London on 18 October.
QUOTE


I bet it will!!!:D:T

I notice neither they nor the SIA are saying where it's to be held this time, just 'London':

http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/about-news.aspx?newsID=236

What a shame it's under wraps - I would love to go along on Monday and just gloat.

But also it would be useful to see what 'progress' they think they're making with the Gov't before the Freedom Bill, and on what basis they think they can turn the ban around...

peter_the_piper

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Just noticed that anti-clamping Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone hasn't got a clue as to whether PPC tickets are enforceable or not! Or am I reading her blog wrong?

I think she needs some reasoned, polite replies to put her right so the Government don't do something stupid in the Freedom Bill about ticketing:

http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/2010/08/wheel-clamping-continued.htm

What IS she on about here?

QUOTE
But what to do about the owners of private land? Of course – there has to be something to take the place of wheel clamping – some deterrent to prohibit people from parking on private property. Landowners have an absolute right to protect their land from people parking on it. So – in Scotland private landowners either protected that land by a barrier method or switched to ticketing.
Ticketing is highly regulated and consumer protection legislation already applies. There is already an independent appeals process in place – and it is a good and proportionate deterrent.
QUOTE

:eek:

She obviously thinks there is enough legislation in private parking. Don't lets disabuse her, it will just make it a bit more difficult for us. Ignore is a very simple option, to have an appeals process could ensure the driver is admitted and more court cases could follow.

taffy056

[FONT=&quot]Email reply from Home Office
[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]===
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your e-mail of 24 September to Lynne Featherstone about the regulation of vehicle immobilisation. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]As I am sure you will appreciate, the Minister receives a large amount of correspondence and is unable to reply to each item individually. Therefore, your e-mail has been passed to the Direct Communications Unit and I have been asked to respond. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Government included a commitment in its Coalition Agreement to tackle rogue private sector wheel-clampers. Ministers have explored all the options to find the best possible solution to tackling this problem. As a result, Lynne Featherstone announced on 17 August the Government’s intention to ban wheel-clamping and towing away on private land. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The Government understands the concerns that you and others have raised, and believe that an absolute ban is the only way to ensure that we tackle the problems caused by rogue clampers. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Primary legislation will be needed to bring this change into force. We plan to introduce this in the Government’s Freedom Bill later this session, and will aim to bring the ban into force as soon as possible once the necessary legislation has been passed. Once in place, anyone who clamps a vehicle or tows it away on private land could face criminal proceedings or civil sanctions.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Yours sincerely,[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]D Beaney[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Direct Communications Unit[/FONT]

ripped_off_driver

taffy I have seen a very recent reply (from the Dept of Transport) that has that spiel almost word for word but also has the following veryinteresting paragraph:

"I should also explain that the ban will work by creating an offence of immobilising or towing away a vehicle without lawful authority, with the intention of preventing or inhibiting the removal of the vehicle by a person entitled to move it. Thus, a landowner who moves the vehicle off his land, would have committed the offence only if he intended to prevent or inhibit the removal of the vehicle but not if he did not have this intention. It would be for the courts to decide whether the offence had been committed in a particular case, based on consideration of all the evidence."

Eh??!! Don't like the sound of that. Having to go to court if some !!!!!! takes your car away or is it the criminal courts theyare referring to. This sounds like a rolling back/BPA type loophole to me. Everybody with an interest in seeing clamping gone for good should get on to Norman Baker and tell him to get on with the ban and allow NO way back for these thieving scum.