The toothless watchdog

[Fright-Flight-Fight]

Not news to anyone here but ...

 

"The trade body which is supposed to regulate the antics of cowboy wheelclampers has failed to expel a single member this year despite receiving hundreds of complaints.

 

News of the British Parking Association's inaction comes amid soaring support for the Daily Mail's demand for a law to crack down on private clampers.

 

Motoring groups, lawyers, politicians and celebrities including the BBC's Top Gear team have all voiced their backing for the initiative. "

 

more here ..

 

The toothless watchdog: Not one rogue clamper has faced the chop | Mail Online

[pin1onu]

And we are supposed to be surprised by this?

 

The British Park Association is funded and run by people with a vested interest (i.e. private parking companies, councils etc). They are hardly going to bite the hand that feeds it are they. (i.e. kick out fee paying members).

 

AIUI all the BPA membership entitles you is electronic access to the DVLA database. The upshot of which is unenforcable invoices being sent to the Registered Keeper.

 

BTW the BPA doesn't have any authority over clampers or parking firms. Its code of conduct is voluntary.

 

By all means show the BPA up for what they are but remember the the SIA are the real toothless dogs.

 

The SIA have the ability to remove the right to clamp. The question that needs to be asked is how many clampers have had their licenses removed and/or been convicted with offenses under Private Securities Industries Act and Regulations.

Edited September 14, 2009 by pin1onu

[68904]

Yet again this paper can't get its facts right.

Wheel Clampers can not fine you only hand out blackmail demands under the threats.

For a newspaper to call this action 'fines. ' it give wheel clampers some form of officialdom in the eyes of the readership.

They should be classed as what they are.

 

You can only get a fine from a council/police and a court after you have been found guilty of some offences. Please Newspapers get your facts right.

[lamma]

BPa membership explained in one my favourite links. AOS members get electronic access, ordinary members do not. Plus the BPA has made the CoP compulsory for all it members - but none of the members follow it and BPA does nothing about that. see FAQs - PPCs - fighting back. The forces are aligned and as I usually post both links also see http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/164651-problems-ppcs-face.html?highlight=problems+ppc+face

[pin1onu]

dup post

Edited September 14, 2009 by pin1onu
dup post

[Al27]

Yet again this paper can't get its facts right.

Wheel Clampers can not fine you only hand out blackmail demands under the threats.

For a newspaper to call this action 'fines. ' it give wheel clampers some form of officialdom in the eyes of the readership.

They should be classed as what they are.

 

You can only get a fine from a council/police and a court after you have been found guilty of some offences. Please Newspapers get your facts right.

 

True, but for once I don't mind them talking rubbish if it gives bad publicity to the BPA.

[green_and_mean]

I didn't think the BPA was a regulatory body, I thought the SIA regulated wheel clamping?

[pin1onu]

True, but for once I don't mind them talking rubbish if it gives bad publicity to the BPA.

I agree Al but if they're shotgunning the BPA why not give a barrelful to the SIA as well. They're supposed to have powers but I've not seen them use them in many cases. The cases they have used their powers have been generally been cherry picked (a bit like the cases of a certain gentleman from the west-midlands) to ensure they succeed.

 

G&M you are correct. I alluded to it in my post. The SIA are the real toothless dogs.

[Zamzara]

I didn't think the BPA was a regulatory body, I thought the SIA regulated wheel clamping?

 

The BPA does have a code for clampers so should still expel any member who breaks it, even though clampers need not be members of the BPA to operate.

 

There are code-of-conduct offences under the CPUT regs which come into play if the code is not followed.

[lamma]

criminal offences at that

[londoncass]

maybe they're going to start on the SIA next... it is bad publicity for the whole clamping industry and a I love it!!!

[Guest lipupfatty]

the fees for aos scheme is £1000, but if you dont join now they are adding on a futher £500 as a admin fee, non profit my arse

[lamma]

do not forget that there are about 300 councils that are also members of the BPA.

[Guest lipupfatty]

and only a quarter of companies who use the dvla data base are BPA members