Linden family's car clamp hell
A MAN had his car clamped in a city car park as he returned from visiting a sick relative in hospital.
Alex Boon and his family had stopped at the Burger King drive-thru in the Peel Centre on Wednesday when their car broke down.
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DESPAIR: Alex Boon. Inset: Our story on mum Joanne Dovaston, 36, whose car was clamped at the Peel Centre at Christmas. She was forced to pay £125 fine – money she would have spent on gifts for her children.
They were returning from visiting Mr Boon's partner's son Matthew Averiss, eight, who was recovering from an operation at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
Alex, 25, and partner Lisa Averiss, 29 along with her children Jack, 11, Hannah, seven, and his one-year-old daughter Chloe opted to get a lift back to their home in Linden after their car failed to start.
The stricken vehicle was pushed from the drive-thru to a space outside Toys R Us.
But when Alex returned the next day he found his red Renault Espace being loaded onto the back of a tow truck.
He said: "The following morning, we picked up Matthew from hospital and I went to the Peel Centre at around noon to get the car.
"When I got there, there was a tow-truck and a man had loaded my car onto it.
"He told me that I had to pay £375 or my car would be taken to Weston-super-Mare.
"I explained that the car was broken down, and that I hadn't been able to come earlier as I had to pick up my stepson. But he just thrust a card machine at me."
With no money to pay the release fee the clampers from Premier Parking Service, based in Bridgewater, Somerset towed Alex's car away.
Since then Alex has spoken to the company several times in a bid to get his car back.
He said: "When I first phoned him up he said I still had to pay the £375, but then he phoned back later saying he could do me a deal and I could pay £235.
"He just kept ringing up and changing his offers. I kept explaining it's my rent money and I can't afford to pay it. I won't have my family out on the street.
"I'm a support worker and I need my car for work. He's now threatening to sell it for parts or crush it, so he's trying to get me to sign it over to him."
A spokesman for Premier Parking said: "We have checked the records of The Appeals Procedure we offer to the public and can confirm we've been unable to locate a formal complaint from the gentleman.
"Therefore we regret to add that at present we are unable to offer comment on this particular case.
"All complaints must be by postal correspondence only including all details such as name, address, car details and registration and if possible a copy of the PCN ticket issued at the time."
n For more news from Linden log onto www.thisisgloucester shire.co.uk/linden
12 Comments
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by murchy, Chelt
Thursday, January 22 2009, 12:13AM
“I think he'spulling a fast one - hy didn't he just go in burger king and say I've just broke down can I leave the car here while I sort out getting it towed or a merchanic out - but no, he pushes it out of burger king down the rd - yeah right -”
by shaun, forest of dean
Tuesday, January 20 2009, 2:06PM
“me and four friends were parked in a street in tewksbury after being told we could park there, because my car was facing the opposite way of the traffic i got a ticket and refused to pay in the end it was passed to bristow and sutor whom charged nearly £500 and if i never paid up the was going to take my car.DAYLIGHT ROBBERY i think.”
by Confused, Gloucs
Monday, January 19 2009, 11:47AM
“Am I missing something here?
On the Wednesday the car had broken down. Nothing was done to try and get the car removed or fixed that day but the owner returned the next day to "get his car".
Did he expect a miracle to happen?
If it was broken down how was it going to fix itself?
I appreciate it that this report may not be complete but given the recent press about the Peel centre car park, leaving it overnight would have been my last choice.”
by haze, gloucestershire
Sunday, January 18 2009, 8:05PM
“These clampers are a law unto themselves, people just cant afford there fees, I would never shop where these people operate and Im waiting to hear of the day when they pick on the wrong people I have noticed its usualy women or the younger people not a burly builder my hero is the man in cheltenham who went and got the right tool and cut the clamp off. Get rid of clampers their parasites on society.”
by Les, Surrey
Sunday, January 18 2009, 2:29PM
“Regardless of who is right or wrong, these parking companies are just parasites, this is extortion and the punishment does not fit the crime.
The law must be changed to stop this.”