An investigation into car clampers who made hundreds of thousands of pounds out of unsuspecting drivers has been dropped - because those accused of heavy-handed tactics did not respond to a letter.

Nationwide Parking, which operated in the car park of the Reindeer pub in Northwood, raked in an estimated £600,000 between January and July of this year.

The firm demanded £300 in cash to unclamp each car - catching out as many as ten drivers a day until the firm was finally forced to leave the site.

Dozens of distressed victims contacted the Watford Observer to express their disgust at the company's actions.

From 18-year-old girls to pensioners in their eighties, time and again the same story was told: of motorists being lured into a highly profitable, very convincing parking trap. Drivers reported small, confusing signage and even "decoy" vehicles parked on the site. Others complained of the intimidatory behaviour of staff, who allegedly watched as drivers parked before racing to apply a clamp.

After a series of stories in this newspaper, Hillingdon Borough Council agreed to take action to help protect the public, erecting a warning sign on the pavement outside the site before launching an investigation through its trading standards department.

However, this investigation was cancelled after only one meeting with industry regulators the Security Industries Authority (SIA).

A letter sent by the SIA to Nationwide Parking demanding proof the company had a licence to operate in the area went unanswered - so the enquiry was abandoned.

The firm has since left the site claiming the council and the Watford Observer had breached its human rights and it is now back under the control of pub owners Scottish and Newcastle. Hillingdon Council said the SIA had no power to force the firm to reply and feel further investigation is unwarranted because the firm has moved on.

Drivers, however, are furious at the lacklustre investigation.

Robert Reynolds, whose son was clamped at the site, said: "This is totally wrong. These people (the SIA) are supposed to stand up for the rights of the consumer and they have totally failed in their duty."

Hillingdon councillor and Tory prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, Ian Oakley was also deluged with complaints about the company, expressed disbelief at the decision.

He said: "It's ridiculous. It's like the police investigating a crime, knocking on the door and saying let's forget about it' when nobody answers the door. It just seems farcical. I had two to three people a week coming to me as the local councillor complaining about these people.

"If there had been a thorough investigation I wouldn't mind if no action was taken. It's one thing for it to be thorough and for nothing to be found - nobody would mind. It's against common sense, however, and against natural justice, do nothing.

"This firm may have done nothing illegal but this case shows the laws about clamping need to be tightened."

Hillingdon Trading Standards and Nationwide Parking have not yet responded to the Watford Observer's inquiries.

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