No plans to follow UK clamp ban, says Dempsey

MINISTER FOR Transport Noel Dempsey has no plans to ban car clamping on private lands following yesterday’s announcement of such a ban in England and Wales, his spokesman said.

The British government said the ban on clamping on private lands would be introduced in its Freedom Bill in November to “end the menace of rogue private sector wheel-clampers for once and for all”. This would make it illegal to clamp cars at locations such as train stations, shopping centres, hotels and hospital car parks.

It will not change existing traffic enforcement by local authorities and traffic police.

Car clamping on private land was banned in Scotland in 1991. Home office minister Lynne Featherstone said motorists had fallen victim to unscrupulous tactics for too long. “Reports of motorists being marched to cash points or left stranded after their car has been towed are simply unacceptable.”

The news comes days after the main clamping firms in the Republic of Ireland called for regulation of their sector. Their representative body, the Irish Parking Association, said clamping would be unnecessary if the Government altered the system for monitoring offences.

IPA director David Cullen said member companies should have access to the National Vehicle Driver File so that they could issue a fine instead of clamping vehicles. This request has been rejected by Mr Dempsey.

The Labour Party environment spokeswoman Joanna Tuffy TD called on the Government to follow the example of its British counterpart. “The British government’s decision has been hailed by motoring organisations in the UK, and there is now a strong case for a similar initiative in this country,” Ms Tuffy said.

“People parking in hotel, hospital or shopping centre parks often find themselves clamped, without adequate signage warning them of the need to pay, and then facing an exorbitant charge to have their car unclamped.”

She criticised Mr Dempsey for consistently refusing to consider regulation, saying: “Minister Dempsey cannot be allowed to avoid his responsibility to deal with clamping abuses.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Dempsey said his stance remained unchanged since he told the Dáil last month that “the practice of clamping or the removal of vehicles on private property does not come within the scope of Road Traffic legislation, and I have no plans to regulate in this area”.