ROGUE clampers are faced with new laws which ban them from immobilising a vehicle.
Greg Knight, the Member of Parliament for East Yorkshire has welcomed new laws banning wheel clamping and the towing away of vehicles, which take effect this week.
Under the Protection of Freedoms Act it is now a criminal offence to clamp, tow, block-in or immobilise a vehicle on private land punishable by an unlimited fine in the Crown Court or up to £5,000 in a Magistrates Court.
Mr Knight waged a long campaign at Westminster for the introduction of the ban and said: “I welcome this rational ban which will end the scandal of heavies and thugs clamping cars and then charging exorbitant release fees. From today, if anyone has their car clamped they should call the police.
“This will save motorists £55 million each year and turn the tables on the real criminals: the rogue firms themselves.”
With the introduction of these changes landowners will also be protected by strengthening of laws around ticketing on private land and a new Independent Appeals Service will be established.
Police will also be given new powers to remove obstructive or dangerously parked cars vehicles on private land.