The clamping firm operating in the Bookers car park off the Uxbridge Road has been sacked by one of the firms who were employing it.

The placing of a clamp on a tsunami relief lorry proved too much for Worldwide Cargo who have ended their contract with Deadlock Management. However they have made no offer to refund the £150 charged to the driver of the lorry. It is unclear whether Deadlock Management still operates in the car park on behalf of other owners of spaces.

The lorry which had come to collect aid for the tsunami relief effort and was picking up goods from Glen Carriers on Allied Way but could not park outside because of the boxed donations had been piled up next to the road. These contained vital food stuffs and medicines. The lorry was moved to the rear of Booker's car park. The driver was away from his vehicle for a matter of minutes but when he returned he was faced with a demand for £150 to have a clamp released. He showed proof that the lorry was working for the relief effort but was told that he should have read the signs.

The clampers at this car park have a record of being heartless. Two nuns from a local convent were reportedly forced to take the tube all the way to a pound near Heathrow and pay a huge fine after parking unsuspectingly in this location.

The police did not respond to our request for comment on this issue.

The Security Industry Authority is due to start licensing private clamping firms imminently and only licensed firms will be able to do this work, so victims of rogue clampers should inform this organisation are aware of their complaint. After 28 February it will be illegal to operate anywhere in England and Wales without a licence, which applies to vehicle immobilisers, their supervisors, managers and directors who operate on private ground and charge a fee for the release of a vehicle.

February 7, 2005