CLAMPERS PUT BLOCK ON STUDENT’S ESCAPE ROUTE

21-12-2007

Greedy clampers have hit a new low by making Birmingham student Nicola Platts a prisoner in her own car after she mistakenly parked in an “illegal” bay. Nicola, from Great Barr, claims her exit route was blocked by a van driver who forced her to stay until his colleagues arrived.

When they eventually turned up, she was ordered to hand over £150 in cash.

The clampers warned her that if she didn’t pay up immediately, her car would be towed away and her fine would rise to £400.

“It was so intimidating, I felt like I was being taken hostage,” said Nicola, who is studying at the College of Food in the city centre.

“The irony is that I only stopped there in the first place because I needed some money to pay for parking. I work part-time in town at Malmaison and use the meters nearby.

Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood was shocked when he heard the details of Nicola Watts story and pledged to raise the issue in Parliament early next year.

“It’s illegal to keep someone prisoner like that” he said - but amazingly he’s wrong.

The Securities Industries Association has confirmed that it authorises clampers to immobilise cars “by any means necessary”, including blocking them in.

Mahmood has now promised to try and get the law changed, and restrict the powers of clampers.