What to do if your vehicle is clamped

The Royal Borough of Greenwich only enforces parking on public highways and in council-owned car parks.

If your vehicle is clamped on a public highway

We do not wheel-clamp vehicles on the public highway. Instead, parking tickets are issued.

If your vehicle is clamped when parked on the public highway, it may have been done by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or by a bailiff company, also known as a civil enforcement agency.

Driving Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

Your vehicle may have been clamped by the DVLA because it is not taxed. If this is the case, documentation left on your vehicle will confirm this.

In this case, you will need to contact the DVLA compound in Belvedere, Kent on 020 8320 6176.

More information about how to get a clamped or impounded vehicle released

Civil enforcement agency

If your vehicle has been clamped by a civil enforcement agency acting on behalf of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, you will need to contact the agency concerned.

If your vehicle is clamped on a council estate

You must have a valid permit to park on a council estate or council estate road. Wing Parking Limited permits can be obtained from the Royal Borough of Greenwich's customer service desk at the Eltham Centre or the Woolwich Centre.

Parking enforcement on council estates and roads includes issuing of parking enforcement notices as indicated by the local signs. Wing Parking Limited does not clamp vehicles.

If your vehicle is clamped on private land

If you park on private land or in a private car park, you must comply with the rules that apply.

Private landowners are entitled to organise their own parking enforcement.

However, on 1 October 2012, wheel clamping on private land was banned, except in special cases such as at railway stations or airports. This ban came into effect under the Protection of Freedoms Act.

The Protection of Freedoms Act

The Protection of Freedoms Act contains a number of significant changes to the way that parking on private land is managed. The Act makes it an offence to clamp or tow away a vehicle parked on private land, without lawful authority.

Parking charges and fines can still be issued on private land.

The Parking on Private Land Appeals service (POPLA) enables motorists who feel that they have been treated unfairly to have their cases reviewed by an independent adjudicator.