News

'Children inside' as car clamped at Jennetts Park

By Lorna Catling
August 24, 2009

A fresh row has erupted over clamping at Jennett’s Park after a car was allegedly clamped with two young children inside.

Dan Gallagher said he left Annalise, eight, and Riley, four, who are the children of his partner Lianne Walshe, sitting inside his Honda Prelude while he ran to the door to collect Lianne from her cleaning job in Harrier Way.

When he turned round to go back to the car, he said the clamper, working for Park Direct, was placing the clamp on the car’s back wheel.

His partner Lianne said: “My daughter was banging on the window because she thought the car was being stolen, she was upset. The hazard lights were on and the door was open on the car. Dan had only been gone a few seconds to run in and tell me they were there.”

Park Direct denies the children were in the car when it was clamped, and issued Dan a bill for £172.50.

However, Graham Townsend, who lives in Harrier Way and saw the car being clamped from his window, said: “The lady in the passenger seat of the clamper van had the clamp ready in her hands before the vehicle stopped moving.

“She jumped out of the van and before anyone had a chance to speak, the clamp was on the wheel. I shouted across the road to let the clamper know they had just taken something into the house and the kids were in the car. She took no notice and didn’t care.”

He has written in support of Dan’s appeal against the fine.

A photo taken by the clamper shows Annalise and Riley in the car – but Park Direct said it is

because when Dan saw the car being clamped he told them to get back in.

Albie Saliba, managing director of Park Direct, said: “We want to make the situation very clear – there were no children in the vehicle at the time it was clamped. We will look into it as a matter of procedure.

“It is not a legal requirement not to clamp when there is someone in a vehicle, although it is against our policy to do so, but it is against the law to leave children in a car.”

Clampers operate in Jennett’s Park on Harrier Way, Osprey Avenue, Sparrowhawk Way and Merlin Way.

They hit the headlines earlier this month when it emerged they had clamped a woman outside her own home while she helped her injured 77-year-old mother through the door.

They were introduced last year by the consortium of developers building there, Redrow Homes (Southern) Ltd and Persimmon Homes Ltd, as they are responsible for health and safety on the roads until Bracknell Forest Council adopts them when the development is complete.

The consortium does not benefit financially from the arrangement.

Are clampers going too far or should drivers take more care when parking? Leave your comments below.

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Well in answer to some people there was no lines on the road no signs on that side of the road and a very small sign half way up the lampost that you cant read till you are under it right under it so how do you know you are not aloud to park there. Also there was a witness who lives oppisit who saw the whole thing AND WHAT GIVES PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO PHOTOGRAPH MY CHILDREN WITHOUT MY PERMISSION and they are not even CRB checked so were are the photos now ,and just so everyone knows THE COMPANY HAVE GIVEN ME A FULL YES A FULL REFUND SO WHOS IN THE WRONG AND WHO DONT KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT .

D GALLAGHER :OWNER OF CLAMPED CAR WITH CHILDREN

DANIEL GALLAGHER
24/09/2009 at 00:05

I sympathise more with the guy.

1. He may have got out of the car to knock on the door so she knew he was there. We're not all mind readers! Also, what's so unbelievable about stopping outside of someone's house to pick them up? People do it all the time and as long as it's a residential road and for just a few minutes it doesn't really cause any problems.

2. It can be safe to leave children inside the car for a few minutes, we often used to wait in the car for our mum/dad to buy a parking ticket in a car park or if they had to pick something up quickly.

3. I do think there should be a 10 or 15 minute delay between the time a car is parked and when it is clamped. I agree with the no parking idea, but if you have a lot of heavy shopping (for example) you shouldn't be forced to carry it too far - you should be able to stop briefly outside of the house in order to carry it in.

CMA
25/08/2009 at 12:47

Mavdo,

Your points are very true abour Clampers. So therefore even more reason that when you see a "NO PARKING, CLAMPERS IN OPERATION" you do not test it.

This guy said he left his kids in the car to go and get his wife for a few seconds!!!!!! This "story" doesn't add up.

1. Why park there 2. Why did he have to get out to pick his wife up if she was just inside a house?

And as for him telling his kids to get back into the car, if that is true I am not sure what is more discraceful, that or the fact that he felt it safe to just leave his kids in a car on there own, like I said in my previous post good job it was only a nice clamper who came along.........

MPwannaB, Bracknell
25/08/2009 at 09:48

There is a massive difference between parking and loading. You can even stop on double yellows if you are loading, provided there are no yellow lines on the pavement running perpendicular to the road, or it isn't a clearway. It really depends on what the signs say as to whether parking or "stopping" is not allowed. Technically, this vehicle was not parked.

But I agree with the current government consultation. Clamping companies have people waiting in vans to jump out and disable your car, and then charge hundreds of pounds for the mythical recovery van that is on the way when they barely had enough time to put the clamp on, let alone call anyone.

This industry requires serious regulation as the current small amounts of self regulation are not working: There must be a minimum time between the person leaving the vehicle and the clamp being applied, or the sign must be altered to cover loading as well; there must be a minimum time between the clamp being applied and the recovery truck being authorised (minimum 30 minutes) to make the punishment fit the "crime"; and the fine must be appropriate to the offence, not just charging people £150 so they can employ people to wait and pounce on the next car.

Plus, we should remember that financial punishment for not following civil rules is not technically allowed in the civil world (ie outside of court enforcement), and this should be added to allow clampers to charge legally, as long as there is regulation around maximum and reasonable costs. This parking is not illegal because it is not against *the law*. If everyone plays by the rules, no one can complain, but that means *everyone*. Currently clamping companies are out to make a fast buck, and there are people stupid enought to fall victim.

mavdo, Wokingham
24/08/2009 at 15:39

Drivers should take more care. Rules are put in place for (usually) good reason and if these rules are not adhered to, then a person must be ready to face the consequences. Don't want to be prosecuted for speeding? Don't break the speed limits. Don't wan't to be prosecuted for car tax evasion? Buy a tax disc. Don't want to be clamped? Don't park where you're not supposed to. It's really quite simple.

jimbo_bob, Bracknell
24/08/2009 at 14:15

Good job it was only a clamping van that came to the car really wasn't it.........

How many times do people have to be told DO NOT PARK HERE OR YOU WILL BE CLAMPED??? It is quite simple, if you park there for any period of time you will get clamped.

I cannot understand the disdelief of people when this then happens!!