"Cowboy car clampers" curbed by new legislation (From Wandsworth Guardian)

"Cowboy car clampers" curbed by new legislation

7:30am Thursday 4th October 2012 in News

Despised "cowboy car clampers" will not be able to target motorists parked on private land following changes to the law this week.

The legislation came into effect on Monday meaning drivers whose cars are clamped in privately-owned car parks will now be able to call the police to assist them. Car park owners have also been banned from towing vehicles away or blocking them in.

Wandsworth Council's consumer affairs spokesman Jonathan Cook has welcomed the changes which he says will be a "sensible" step forward that motorists would warmly welcome.

"This change in the law solves this problem in one fell swoop. From now on clamping and towing cars from private car parks is illegal and so motorists should not have to suffer at the hands of these shady companies any longer."

He was referring to a recent council prosecution of a firm of "cowboy clampers" who had been targeting motorists at a privately-owned car park near Balham High Road.

The only warning sign had been placed in the first floor window of a building overlooking the car park and was so small it could not possibly be read by people standing at ground level.

The father of one young driver, who had parked in the car park for about 20 minutes, was forced to hand over £375 to get his vehicle freed.