Rayleigh’s MP Mark Francois has challenged clamping firm LBS Enforcement over the way that they have been carrying out controversial wheel clamping operations in Rayleigh since last year (particularly in the small cark par just off Webster’s Way).
Mark met with two operatives from LBS Enforcement during his most recent constituency surgery, including Mr Stone, one of the directors of the company. At the meeting Mark was also accompanied by Cllrs Cheryl Roe and Dave Sperring, respectively the past and present Chairman of Rayleigh Town Council and also by Mr Carl Watson, the President of the Rayleigh Chamber of Trade.
During the meeting, which lasted for over an hour, Rayleigh’s MP pressed LBS on their tactics and their unwillingness, to date at least, to respond directly to complaints from members of the public about their methods. Mark presented a file containing copies of letters he had already written to LBS on behalf of more than a dozen constituents, some of which dated back to just before last Christmas and which the company has never replied to.
As was put to LBS at the meeting, at the heart of the complaints against them is that the company has allegedly often charged people considerably in excess of the advertised standard clamping fine of £125 plus VAT, including on some occasions apparently adding a call-out charge for a tow truck which was parked only a few yards away at the time. The Town Councillors and Mr Watson also pointed out the potential effect on trade in Rayleigh if this situation continues and asked for the company to alter their style of operating in future, so that local businesses would not suffer a drop in custom, particularly at a time when the economy is already in a downturn.
In reply to the criticisms LBS explained they were installing a new IT system to help with complaint handling and that they were also intending to establish an ‘appeals procedure’ so that people with complaints could challenge their decisions. LBS also promised to respond to all of Mark Francois’ letters on the issue by the end of the week (i.e. last Friday, 29 May) but as of Wednesday 3 June they still had not done so. Commenting on the meeting Mark Francois said:
“I will give LBS some credit for turning up but they still have a lot of questions to answer. I welcome the fact that they are apparently introducing an appeals system – but unless this has some independent element to decide cases I think people may just see it as a rubber stamp. Moreover, the company representatives promised me faithfully that they would reply to my letters within a week and some days beyond that they have still not kept their word. I am normally someone who does not like excessive regulation but the more I see of LBS in operation, the more I think we need to tighten up the rules by which companies like them work, including in my own constituency.”
After a series of complaints from around the country about the operation of wheel-clampers, the Home Office has recently issued a consultation document about the future regulation of such firms, which includes the possibility of licensing companies, rather than individual clampers, as at present. By this method, a firm which does not operate properly in future could have its licence to operate removed.
Mark is planning to respond to the consultation to argue in favour of licensing companies, such as LBS, more tightly in future. Anyone else wishing to respond to the consultation can do so via the website:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2009-vehicle-immobilisation/.
The consultation closes on 23 July.
