The Government's Freedom Bill will introduce penalties for clamping or towing away a vehicle on private land.  The Bill, to be introduced in November, will mean only the police and councils will be allowed to clamp or tow away a car.  Over 2000 current clamping licences will be revoked and private firms will only be allowed to put tickets on parked cars.  The penalties for not adhering to the new legislation could include fines and/or prison.

Nick Freeman said: "For a long time this has been nothing but an unregulated racket operated mainly by unscrupulous cowboys, with some people making a lot of money from the misfortune of others. For motorists who fall foul of this unfair practice, they have no choice but to pay an extortionate release fee and they have no redress other than through the county court, which the vast majority of people don't pursue."

Disputes about parking on private land will not be ended by the ban on clamping said the director of the RAC Foundation, Professor Stephen Glaister.  There needs to be a fair system that protects both motorists and land owners. 

Full story - BBC News 17/08/10