By Chris Torney
Van drivers are being warned they could still face hefty penalties from private parking firms even after clamping is made illegal.
New government legislation is expected to outlaw clamping by companies which operate on private roads and land by the end of 2011.
Local authorities and other government agencies will still be able to clamp and tow vehicles which are illegally parked, however.
But Safiya Hussain, director of website www.noparkingfine.co.uk said: “Clamping companies will simply venture into the multi-million pound industry of private parking fines. In fact, they may find this a more prosperous avenue of getting at drivers.”
These fines could be felt especially keenly by drivers such as tradesmen and couriers, who are often targeted by clampers and other private parking enforcement companies when making deliveries.
Hussain said that drivers should consider challenging any fines received from private operators.
She explained: “The proportion of private parking fines that are legally invalid is pretty high: signs can be obscure, terms of parking can be vague and fines can be unreasonably high.
“All this leads to a parking fine being legally invalid according to the laws of contract. But due to the same bullying attitude used by parking companies as clamping companies, the public feel compelled to pay up.”
Hussain added: “The private clamping ban isn’t going to make much of a difference: perhaps it is time that the ban of private parking fines is also introduced.”
