Westminster City Council has decided to stop clamping or removing parked vehicles causing an obstruction, and to move them to nearby locations and charge them the usual ticket instead. The move will enable the council to increase off-street parking by 300 places by converting its Park Lane car pound to a car park. It says clamping and removal are no longer deterrents. ‘Motorists whose vehicles are clamped or removed feel they have been hit twice, once by the parking ticket and then by the clamp – usually because they made a mistake or misread a sign,’ said environment and transport member, Danny Chalkley. ‘We will instead target our effort on pursuing the hardcore of motoring offenders who repeatedly flout the law at the expense of the law-abiding majority.’ Residents’ parking permit-holders who park in suspended bays will now just receive two warning notices before being relocated and getting a ticket.