BWML Hull Marina car parking clamping cowboys

Couple celebrate legal victory over [Hull Marina] clampers - Hull Daily Mail

(and on BBC Look North tonight, 6.30pm+)

I know it's slightly out of my inland canals orbit, but this story of a couple who got clamped (at a marina run by British Waterways Marinas Ltd) really got my dander up.

In a week when BW is looking for public sympathy and to defend its property portfolio in Parliament,  it's unfortunate that the story hits the headlines and reaches TV. 

When Ann Van Spall parked at the BWML-owned Hull Marina in February for half an hour, she was clamped and stung £250 for release.

She appealed to the clamping company that BWML used - called 'Sector Security Ltd' and run by someone called Peter Del Grosso - and after not getting any reply she decided to go to court.

It's taken ten months, but finally Ann got a court order to refund the £250 plus £100 costs, not least because not only did Sector Security Ltd not turn up to court, but the company seems to have evaporated (probably with her money).

I'm wary of taking a newspaper story at face value, so I asked BWML about the facts.  I was referred to BWML area manager Sarah Broker, who agreed she was responsible for selecting the parking company. She say she's replaced the original clamping company with a new one, called 'Parking Control Ltd'.

Parking Controls Ltd seems to be run by someone called Andy Gratton, but according to the Van Spalls and the local press, he seems to be connected with the previous bunch of cowboys.

Sarah Broker swears that British Waterways Marinas Ltd doesn't itself make any money out of the clamping.  "We are a public body, we wouldn't be allowed to do it," she said.  She simply gives the clampers carte blanche authority to do their 'business', and the cowboys take all the money as reward for policing the parking spaces. 

In her own defence she said that as it's a 'city centre' marina, if it wasn't for the clamping they would have a severe problem with people parking willy-nilly in spaces reserved for boaters. She also insisted that all clamping is done in conformance with British Parking Association guidelines.

She also said that the maximum price for clamping now is £100, although I don't know if that includes any towaway or storage, or whether it insists on cash payment like so many of these villainous clamping firms.

Here's a page in Fightback Forums that gives information on parking and clamping at Hull Marina, including photographs. It makes very interesting reading.   (Fightback Forums is for those who feel they've been unfairly prosecuted or fine or charged for assorted motoring problems.)

And here's a view of the marina and the parking spaces that will get you clamped.  Spot the clamping sign!

My takeaway: Sarah Broker really isn't doing her bosses any favours.  Nor her customers.  If I was a moorer at Hull Marina, I'd be worried about leaving my car there at all, even if I was entitled to.  And if I was a Hull motorist, I'd be agape at watching British Waterways plead for sympathy in the media.

Not being a professional  journalist, I forgot to ask her some elementary questions.  For example,

1. How is the clamping process initiated? Do BW marina staff check on who's parked and alert the clampers? Or have the clampers themselves got spies lurking?
2. She said that the Marina or BW don't benefit in any way. Is there any commission to any other organisation or individual from the clampers?
3. Are BW involved/notified when there's a clamping?
4. Are BW notified when there's an appeal?
5. Does she know how many clampings or much money Parking Controls Ltd is making from this? Does anyone at BW head office know?

And yet, all this makes me want to take Granny Buttons there, and somehow test out the parking.  I'm like that.  I mean, Granny's been up the Severn and across the Wash.  Surely the boating part of going to Hull Marina would be easy.  It's the thrill of the parking that excites me!

See also: Angle Grinder Man.

Comments

[coach outlet stores]

I like,that's a sign of a good blog post.*

[Ann Van Spall]

Hello,
It is right what you say, also the Peter Del Grosso came around at the time I was filming with BBC Look North and Phil Norton and was going to clamp us again!!!. There was nothing on the van to identify who they were and the driver Peter I think had an armband on and when I asked for him to identify himself he turned the armband around. My husband has had mobile telephone conversations with Peter who was posing as from the Hull and Holderness Paper and the Press Complaint Office trying to get information from us. I also understand that the company doesn't exist now it was as I understand it was discontinued late November 2009!! This wasn't all about the money for me it was about the fact that how many people have £250 cash in their bank account to get in 20 mins, how many people are disabled or of poor health and can't get to a cash machine!!