EDITOR’S COMMENT upfront
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
After all the debates and discussions, the clamping ban is finally a reality. And with all the changes, the BPA must continue to stand firm in the coming months, says Sarah Juggins
M
edia coverage totalling several column inches, appearances by various senior members of the
BPA on prime-time television and radio, and much discussion in both Houses – finally the clamping ban has become law. From October, private parking operators who currently use wheel clamps will have to find other means of controlling parking on private land. Although, as Kelvin Reynolds pointed out in last month’s Parking News, this will not be a case of ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ but rather a gradual process of disassembling the clamping service and introducing an alternative, possibly tickets.
A landowner will no longer be able to immobilise a vehicle that has, in effect, stolen a space. True, the landowner could place a ticket on the screen but that is unlikely to deter someone, if they are determined to park there. The government has promised that, if the
Throughout the discussions, the
BPA has been steady in its message. ‘Be careful what you wish for’ has been its mantra
The subject of the ban has generated huge interest in the national press. As long ago as August 2010, The Daily Mail claimed a ‘sensational victory’ as the government decided that only an outright clamping ban, as opposed to regulation of the industry, would do. But, throughout the discussions, the BPA has repeated its mantra: ‘Be careful what you wish for’. The first thing to remember is who this ban affects: the shop-keeper with a few spaces behind the shop; the publican with a customer car park; the sports ground; the hotel; even the person with a large driveway.
www.britishparking.co.uk
industry can provide an independent appeals service, then private parking operators can access keeper details. This means that if someone parks on private land without paying the going rate, then the parking operator is able to hold someone to account – if not the driver, then the vehicle keeper will have ultimate responsibility.
But there is inevitably controversy. An appeals service set up by the BPA, the very body that represents the parking operators, has raised questions about the independence of the service. Then there is the question of what the rogue clampers will do next – the likelihood is that they will go into rogue ticketing. The BPA has remained constant with its call for a regulated industry, and while it has not got all it asked for, it has gained political credence. It is important that the Association continues to steer a course ensuring both landowners and motorists get the fairest and most transparent deal.
JUNE 2012 7
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