COMMENT: Victory for Residents is Crushing Blow for Labour

10.18.45am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 5th Apr 2007

Over zealous parking is a problem under Labour

After nationwide TV News coverage for three days running Lambeth Labour has been forced into an embarrassing U Turn over its vehicle removals policy.

Lambeth's notoriously over-zealous parking contractors have now been caught red-handed ' lifting' cars from outside residents' houses while they are away on holiday. But that's not the worst bit. Before anyone can blink an eyelid Labour's commissars of the car down at the Town Hall have been whipping your treasured motor into the crusher. Even if it's taxed.

And Lambeth's response? Any apology? Not on your Nelly. An official spokesperson announced without an ounce of shame that it was all the owner's fault for going away on holiday. They should have told neighbours, apparently, to look out for Lambeth's new marauding squads of car body snatchers. What a cheek.

But after three days of negative news coverage, and plaintive stories from owners whose cars had been not only been taken hostage but summarily executed, Lambeth was finally forced to admit today that it has been far too hasty and will now hold cars for 28 days like other boroughs before destroying them. And at a rate rumoured to be a whopping £200 a day.

Meanwhile those caught up in this mess find they cannot get insurance companies to pay out because they haven't been stolen and they now face suing the Council. More expense to the taxpayer.

And word also reaches us that Lambeth - The Dimmer Borough - will soon open a brand new larger purpose-built car pound. Be afraid, be very afraid.