Warning to motorists of cowboy clampers ‘last gasp’

I have joined Nick Alston, the Conservative candidate for Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, to warn motorists against cowboy clampers trying to squeeze money out of innocent motorists before the ban on clamping on private land comes into force on 1st October.

According to the AA, some of the tactics of cowboy clampers have used in the past few years include:

-Hide the signs with a van

-Use decoy vehicles to encourage parking

-Target vulnerable people, old, disabled, women with children

-Make up charges

-Charge for supposedly calling tow truck or swearing

-Refuse any form of appeal

-Change company name if court finds against them

-Use “heavies” to scare drivers

-Don’t clamp single cars in case it alerts people but clamp rows of cars at a time

-Pay landowner commission to allow clamping

-Clamp on land without permission of land owner.

Large parts of our county have had real problems with private clampers using threatening behaviour and attempting to rip off innocent motorists in recent years and I think this ban is a real victory for local motorists.

I have no doubt some clamping outfits will be looking to make as much money as possible as a last gasp before the ban comes in place. All motorists should stay vigilant for bogus parking tickets and report any threatening behaviour to the Police as soon as possible.

Nick Alston said: "Too often I have local residents contact me about cowboy clampers. Motorists need to be aware that some clampers may push their luck to make as much profit as possible before the ban takes affect"
Sir Edmund King, President of AA, said: “We have been campaigning for a ban against this legalised mugging for many years. Too many clampers have been acting like modern day highwaymen for too long. Many elderly and vulnerable people have been ripped off by these callous cowboys. Clamping has been banned in Scotland since 1992 without problems."