Birmingham City Council is launching a £30,000 campaign to combat illegal wheel clamping in the city.
To be launched in December, the initiative will see trading standards and police officers monitor and challenge clampers on the job. Officers plan to install warning signs at known clamping blackspots and help drivers who have been illegally clamped to take action through civil courts.
Illegal clamping companies are charging £250 for the return of a vehicle which has been towed away – in addition to an average of £100 for the release of a wheel clamp. In some cases, the charges are significantly higher, the council says.
Councillor Neil Eustace, chair of the council’s public protection committee, said: ‘We have long been urging the Government to introduce laws which will bring the clamping industry to book.
‘At present, the sector is largely unregulated, meaning the outrageous excesses of some operators are allowed to continue virtually unchecked.’
While all clamping companies must register with the Securities Industry Authority, the council believes some continue to operate without licence.
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