Clamping con company fight back

A SENIOR figure at Direct Parking Solutions defended the actions of the company this week and said his staff are not involved in any illegal or fraudulent activity.

The company were unavailable to comment to the Ham&High about the parking con we uncovered last week but operations manager, David Burton, this week offered his opinion.

He denied any involvement in the call-out wheeze and offered little sympathy for anyone else who felt victimised by the clampers.

When asked about the scam he said: "It is nothing to do with us whatsoever.

"We believe none of our staff would do that.

"A lot of the residents have a grudge against the company so at the end of the day it could be them trying to give us a bad name.

"I don't know who it is but we have good staff and I am good friends with them so I know they wouldn't do that."

When we raised the cases of drivers clamped while in the driving seat of their car - and pointed out in our investigation we had witnessed such a case - the boss denied it was happening. "People who are sitting in their vehicle will be asked to move the vehicle before they are clamped," he said. "It is impossible to clamp a car with the driver in it as they can turn the engine on and drive off.

"None of our staff clamp cars when there is someone in the driver's seat.

"I know our staff wouldn't do that."

He later went on to claim that clamping someone with a driver in the car isn't illegal - despite contrary accounts of the law by parking experts.

When asked if he had any sympathy for those targeted under their heavy-handed rules, he added: "In Frognal Court there must be 25 signs saying you will be clamped - so it is down to them."

Last week the two clampers on site suggested the scam could be down to two other Direct Parking Solutions staff members, who worked at Frognal Court and were recently sacked for stealing from the company.

Mr Burton said the sacking had taken place but said he was sure those sacked hadn't been involved in the scam either.