The immobilisation of vehicles (clamping) will only be used against persistent evaders. We define a persistent evader as someone who has had three unpaid penalty charge notices in the previous six months that have not been cancelled following a successful challenge. 

Clamping and removal powers are activated upon the issuing of a fourth penalty charge notice in a six-month period to the same vehicle.

If a vehicle has been clamped for at least 24 hours, or it is causing an obstruction, it will be removed.

As with clamping, no vehicle can be removed that has not been issued with three penalty charge notices in the preceding six months where those penalty charges have not been paid or successfully challenged.

Removal action without clamping first would be appropriate in cases where vehicles are:

• causing a major obstruction to traffic or a danger to pedestrians or other road users
• parked on an operative bus stop, taxi rank or clearway where stopping is prohibited
• parked in a specially designated reserved parking place (eg for doctors or disabled people)
• parked in a suspended parking place
• parked in a loading bay or loading gap