SOUTHAMPTON'S Tory transport supremo has finally won his battle to start clamping and towing away thousands of illegally parked cars.

Councillor Gavin Dick approved the policy to improve traffic flow, reduce safety hazards and send out a message that those who refuse to pay penalty charges will be dealt with.

A firm will now be sought to tow away 3,500 cars a year - up to a dozen a day - for causing a danger or obstruction to traffic flows, for being illegally parked or for having three unpaid tickets.

Clamping - or as the council puts it "immobilisation" - will be used on vehicles found in car parks and street parking bays with three unpaid tickets.

Cars causing an obstruction but displaying valid disabled badges will be re-moved (unclamped) to a nearby road and the police notified.

Cllr Dick's proposals survived intact after opposition councillors, who had raised concerns about a lack of consultation, picked over the details.

The council also sent out 245 letters asking for comments, but received only 12 replies.

Approving the scheme, the Cabinet member for transport said: "This is a good news story for the city. It will speed up the flow of traffic and penalise others who are impeding the flow of traffic."

Cllr Dick said the scheme was not intended to raise revenue, and that any profits would be ploughed back into road and car park improvements.

If caught by the new rules motorists who have their cars towed will have to pay £105, plus £12 a day storage charges, for them to be released from a compound.

Motorists whose cars are clamped will have to pay £75 for the release of their vehicles. The charges are in addition to the £30 parking ticket.

Neighbouring councils have been invited to join the scheme.