Vince Cable

Last week a local woman, actress Sara Stewart, was charged £345, in cash, for releasing a clamped car in a small stretch of road off Hampton Hill High Street called Cricket Lane.

She parked the car safely, on a Sunday; in what she thought was a resident's permit area. There was no clear signage warning that parking was prohibited (apart from two small print signs on a wall). A few moments after she parked, a clamping team jumped into action and when she returned the clampers demanded £300 + VAT (£345).

Other cars were being towed away to Heathrow, costing their owners a further £70.

Vincent Cable said that the behaviour of the clampers was a straightforward 'scam':

"these people are minting money intimidating local residents. I understand that the clamping company keeps the release fee as profit so they have every incentive to line in wait for unsuspecting residents".

"After protests about rogue clampers from me and other MPs the government has brought in regulation. But it is merely providing a veneer of respectability to this trade.

In Scotland there is a ban - clamping is illegal - and we should follow the Scottish example".

Sara Stewart can be contacted at sarastewart@gillett.com