If you are Appealing, you have a case if you can  can show that the signs or lines were wrong, or an exempted activity such as loading or unloading was taking place at the time, or that the vehicle was in fact displaying a valid ticket, badge, permit etc

While a traffic ticket can be issued to a vehicle as soon as paid parking time has elapsed, they cannot additionally clamp or remove it until at least 15 minutes have passed.

As of May 2005 clamping vehicles without a license from the Security Industry Authority (SIA) became a criminal offence. Anyone clamping or allowing clamping without the appropriate licenses can incur heavy fines and could face a prison sentences of up to five years!

If your vehicle has been clamped the person who has clamped it (when releasing the vehicle) must give you a receipt with the following details on it,

the location where the vehicle was clamped or towed
their own name and signature
their licence number
the date.

The Security Industry Authority is incharge of issuing the clampers their license and their number is  08702 430100