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Boss slams anti-clamping plans

5:50am Wednesday 18th August 2010 in News

Boss lams anti-clamping plans Boss lams anti-clamping plans

A SECURITY firm boss has slammed the clamping ban as an overreaction and warned that landowners will be left defenceless.

Sean Knowlson, pictured, boss of Southampton-based Cobra Security, called for more regulation of the industry instead rather than a blanket ban.

He said while it would root out “cowboy clampers”, many businesses and private landowners would be left at the mercy of inconsiderate motorists.

“It’s an overreaction. It’s going to leave landowners wide open to parking abuses,” he said.

“People will know they can just dump cars anywhere and everywhere and nobody can do anything about it. If it wasn’t for people ignoring signs, they wouldn’t get clamped in the first place.”

He said the Government should instead bring in rules on maximum release fees and minimum sizes for warning signs, plus industry standards for clamping firms.

He has written to MPs urging them to lobby the Government for a rethink.

Comments(17)

SOULJACKER says...
6:04am Wed 18 Aug 10

Bless this guy, he's only thinking of us & not the fact that he can't rip people off & extort money out of them anymore:-(

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Duncan Disorderly says...
6:24am Wed 18 Aug 10

If he and his like hadn't been so greedy, there might indeed have been some compromise. But as most of the industry were little better than thugs the government are quite right to get rid of them all

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Day Dreamer says...
7:28am Wed 18 Aug 10

Great news these people are the lowest of the low in my opinion. I just hope this is put in place soon and these "*****" get back to earning an honest living! The ones who clamped me at Southampton Airport Parkway 10 years ago, I am still waiting to get even!

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Totton Tim says...
8:08am Wed 18 Aug 10

These clamping companies may well have behaved badly in the past but in the future how will you curb the antics of these inconsiderate drivers who, having bought a car, consider it their right to drive it and park it wherever they wish, with no thought to anyone else?

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Condor Man says...
8:21am Wed 18 Aug 10

Clamping was something that came over from America in the 80's and quite frankly it's been abused by the greedy. THe council uses fixed penalty notices to control illegal parking, why can't private companies apply the same system?

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Tottonion says...
8:23am Wed 18 Aug 10

If people don't want cars parked on their property then they should get a gate or chain. I'm sure that the money they give clampers can pay for it and in the long run it would be cheaper for them. By the way did you see the idiot on the telly who clamped a district nurse on a call, didn't have the nerve to show his face. Makes you think if he was a benefit cheat???

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Stillness says...
8:47am Wed 18 Aug 10

"Sean Knowlson, pictured, must be hiding behind one of his clamps.

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jimbobbo says...
8:58am Wed 18 Aug 10

Mr Knowlson's company clamped stranded vehicles in Winchester during the icy period in January this year.

Good Riddance.

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Totton Tim says...
9:07am Wed 18 Aug 10

Tottonion wrote:
If people don't want cars parked on their property then they should get a gate or chain. I'm sure that the money they give clampers can pay for it and in the long run it would be cheaper for them. By the way did you see the idiot on the telly who clamped a district nurse on a call, didn't have the nerve to show his face. Makes you think if he was a benefit cheat???
Ok, so when your neighbours have visitors they can park in your drive - if you happen to leave the gate open. If you live (as a lot of people do) on a modern estate with no gates then you're in trouble!

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driverbelcher says...
9:15am Wed 18 Aug 10

Stillness wrote:
"Sean Knowlson, pictured, must be hiding behind one of his clamps.
I thought it was good of him to use a clamp with DVLA on it! Assume this is just a bad choice of image by the Echo?

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StEmmosfire says...
9:24am Wed 18 Aug 10

This industry shouldnt be privatised. The Government should run clamping operations but I suppose it would cost to much to run as they wont be out trying to get as many people as they can.

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Spot O'Bother says...
9:46am Wed 18 Aug 10

Self serving thug!

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lowe esteem says...
1:57pm Wed 18 Aug 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
This industry shouldnt be privatised. The Government should run clamping operations but I suppose it would cost to much to run as they wont be out trying to get as many people as they can.
We shouldn't even be having a discussion about this "industry"-the whole idea of clamping someone if you don't want anyone there is hypocritical and stupid. Whoever agrees to it is as desperate or bad as the clamper. Good riddance, wipe the slate clean and start again with something more legitimate.

Put the 'Denver Boot' on that list of unwanted American exports with Halloween, 'Proms' Outings in Limos, Thanksgiving, Pumpkin Pie, Running Backs, Loud Shirts and Macdonalds-oh, and Michael Barrowman.

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jancassar says...
2:38pm Wed 18 Aug 10

With reference to the clampers - we live in a close very near to the Avenue where the land is privately owned. To use the parking you have to get a permit which we cant get. My husband is disabled but cant even park outside our own home due to the clamping. This also applies to unpacking your shopping as my daughter dropped me off with our shopping & came into help put it away when her disability car was clamped. The cost was 150 pounds & 7.50 to pay by card or the car would be towed away at a further 500 cost to get it back. This is happening alot in our small close but the clampers stillkeep coming. What do you have to do to be able to park outside your own home???????????

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Wayne's World says...
3:50pm Wed 18 Aug 10

To Lowe Esteem...I wholeheartedly agree re these vulgar Americanisms, but Barrowman is Canadian. To the clampers...s t u f f you, get an honest job.

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downfader says...
3:55pm Wed 18 Aug 10

I think there are honest clampers, but you never hear of them because of the bad ones (like the one who put a 10x10 inch sign up 25 feet on a wall, unlit at night, and then charged my Brother £160 to release it)
.
Now should we all rejoice? or should we prepare ourselves for the towing industry to kick up a notch? I fear the latter is about to happen.

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Howardjo says...
5:19pm Wed 18 Aug 10

The whole industry is a rip-off. I returned to my car once to see it being clamped at night. I parked in a space, believing it to be ok as there were no visable signs. When I asked them to show me the sign, it took them 10 minutes to find it with tourches!

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