Don_Kiddick
29-07-2005, 11:07
Callous clamper halts meals on wheels
ELDERLY and disabled people were forced to go hungry after callous clampers pounced on a meals-on-wheels van delivering lunches.
Rotherham Borough Council staff had to transfer meals to another van and were forced to shell out £80 before they could finally deliver meals to dozens of vulnerable customers more than an HOUR late.
A furious eye-witness claims the clampers, Parkrite UK, targeted the van—with Meals on Wheels emblazoned down the side—despite knowing full well what it was doing when the driver pulled into the car park of the Cat and Cabbage pub on Carlisle Street. He said: "The clampers were watching as the meals-on-wheels van parked.
"They didn't tell her she shouldn't stop there, they watched the girl take a meal out of the back and walk away.
"As soon as she'd gone, they clamped the van without hesitation.
"She was back in a matter of minutes and looked really shocked."
Alan Parkinson (47), of Lords Street, Clifton, was with his stepfather as he received his meal. He said: "The girl came back moments after she'd left and said her van had been clamped.
"It was full of meals and she didn't know what to do. "I couldn't believe it, she'd only been in the flat two minutes and they'd managed to do it in that time.
"I went out to see if I could do anything and was told to f*** off by the clamper."
Dave Edwards, who runs the Cat and Cabbage said: "We've had a load of trouble with people using our car park, but have a clamping firm patrolling the area.
"Cars are clamped at the discretion of the clampers, but they're meant to come and check which vehicles don't belong to customers first.
"As far as I'm aware they didn't this time.
"This is the last thing I wanted to happen. I can't believe it."
When the Advertiser contacted clamping company, Parkrite UK, a man who only gave his name as Dave slammed the phone down.
A council spokeswoman said that the meals-on-wheels driver parked in the space to avoid parking on double yellow lines while she delivered to a nearby block of flats.
She said: "The driver left the vehicle for only a matter of minutes in order to deliver a meal to an older vulnerable person.
"Despite protests to both the clamping company and the owner of the land, the authority had no alternative but to pay the fine.
"Some meals were delayed that day, but they were delivered by another vehicle.
"We are hugely disappointed in the response of this private clamping company who appear to be making easy money on the back of a vital service to some of our most vulnerable members of society."
Source Rotherham Advertiser (http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/html/news/fp.asp?id=4931)
ALSO
POLICE have admitted they are powerless to put the clamps on the wheel clampers who spread motoring misery by charging "extortionate" fees.
Even though new laws came into force in May, making it illegal for wheel clampers to opeåçrate without a licence, they can still charge drivers caught parking on private land "what they like," a licensing spokesman admitted.
Bassetlaw MP John Mann has accused the clampers of charging "extortionate" fees to free vehicles from their clutches—but amazingly, they are operating within the law.
Rest of this article HERE (http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/html/news/fp.asp?id=4954) :mad: :rant:
ELDERLY and disabled people were forced to go hungry after callous clampers pounced on a meals-on-wheels van delivering lunches.
Rotherham Borough Council staff had to transfer meals to another van and were forced to shell out £80 before they could finally deliver meals to dozens of vulnerable customers more than an HOUR late.
A furious eye-witness claims the clampers, Parkrite UK, targeted the van—with Meals on Wheels emblazoned down the side—despite knowing full well what it was doing when the driver pulled into the car park of the Cat and Cabbage pub on Carlisle Street. He said: "The clampers were watching as the meals-on-wheels van parked.
"They didn't tell her she shouldn't stop there, they watched the girl take a meal out of the back and walk away.
"As soon as she'd gone, they clamped the van without hesitation.
"She was back in a matter of minutes and looked really shocked."
Alan Parkinson (47), of Lords Street, Clifton, was with his stepfather as he received his meal. He said: "The girl came back moments after she'd left and said her van had been clamped.
"It was full of meals and she didn't know what to do. "I couldn't believe it, she'd only been in the flat two minutes and they'd managed to do it in that time.
"I went out to see if I could do anything and was told to f*** off by the clamper."
Dave Edwards, who runs the Cat and Cabbage said: "We've had a load of trouble with people using our car park, but have a clamping firm patrolling the area.
"Cars are clamped at the discretion of the clampers, but they're meant to come and check which vehicles don't belong to customers first.
"As far as I'm aware they didn't this time.
"This is the last thing I wanted to happen. I can't believe it."
When the Advertiser contacted clamping company, Parkrite UK, a man who only gave his name as Dave slammed the phone down.
A council spokeswoman said that the meals-on-wheels driver parked in the space to avoid parking on double yellow lines while she delivered to a nearby block of flats.
She said: "The driver left the vehicle for only a matter of minutes in order to deliver a meal to an older vulnerable person.
"Despite protests to both the clamping company and the owner of the land, the authority had no alternative but to pay the fine.
"Some meals were delayed that day, but they were delivered by another vehicle.
"We are hugely disappointed in the response of this private clamping company who appear to be making easy money on the back of a vital service to some of our most vulnerable members of society."
Source Rotherham Advertiser (http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/html/news/fp.asp?id=4931)
ALSO
POLICE have admitted they are powerless to put the clamps on the wheel clampers who spread motoring misery by charging "extortionate" fees.
Even though new laws came into force in May, making it illegal for wheel clampers to opeåçrate without a licence, they can still charge drivers caught parking on private land "what they like," a licensing spokesman admitted.
Bassetlaw MP John Mann has accused the clampers of charging "extortionate" fees to free vehicles from their clutches—but amazingly, they are operating within the law.
Rest of this article HERE (http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/html/news/fp.asp?id=4954) :mad: :rant: