Safe Speed Forums

Blue lights and sniffer dogs.... yet traffic wardens still clamp police van

Last updated at 10:00am on 7th November 2006

Even the police are not spared the attention of the clampers.

Two British Transport Police officers returned to their vehicle to find that over-zealous wardens had clamped it.

It happened despite the sniffer dog unit van being clearly marked with a blue light on top and having police identification on the windscreen.

The BTP had to fax Westminster City Council to confirm it was a police vehicle before it was released. But when a clamper finally turned up to take it off - he brought the wrong key.

The van was stuck in Gilbert Street, near Bond Street, for about two hours on 25 October before the clamp was finally removed.

Marketing co-ordinator Todd Henshaw, 26, watched events unfold from his office nearby.

He said: "People were pointing out of the window and laughing. When I went to see what was going on, I couldn't believe my eyes.

"The two officers just looked totally bemused and didn't know what to do. They even had their dogs in the back."

He added: "They took it pretty well until the man turned up with the wrong key. After that they were pretty fed up.

"I think it was just a case of clampers gone mad. Those officers could have been needed at an emergency - it's ridiculous."

A spokeswoman for the British Transport Police said: "We can confirm we did get a ticket on a dog van. We are currently looking into the circumstances surrounding it."

But a senior police source added: "You would think the wardens would use their common sense. "We are there to serve the public and this incident could have seriously restricted our response had we been called."

If the van was parked illegally then it deserved to be clamped

NO! Wheel clamps are legally extortion on Scotland and I couldn't agree more.

Another tempting question is whether wheel-clamping could be a criminal offence under the Administration of Justice Act 1970, which makes criminal the collection of civil debts by causing distress and public humiliation.

If the van was parked illegally then it deserved to be clamped

So it is your opinion that police/fire/ambulance drivers on call should spend time looking for a legal parking spot and the occupants of said vehicle should then walk from that spot to the scene?

We can not have a them and us situation.

The van should not have been clamped, because it may be needed in an emergency.

The van should not have been clamped, because it may be needed in an emergency. I however see no problem with a ticket being issused.They can then appeal like the rest of us do.

Of course police vehicles should be exempt - but there should be sufficient parking for the regular road users, that they are not tempted to leave their vehicles where they should not!