QUOTE (geekman @ Thu, 27 Sep 2012 - 16:42)
I've recently moved away to uni, and have brought my car with me. I have no permit to park on campus, and will not be allocated one as I'm staying only a couple of miles from the uni. This isn't really a problem, as there's lots of local roads with no parking restrictions where I'm allowed to park. However, before I arrived, my uni sent out an email telling all students that cars found regularly parking in the local area would be clamped or towed, and apparently they work very closely with the police to facilitate this!
I'm not an expert, but this sounds like a load of crap. Surely if I'm legally parked, and not blocking anyone's drive, the police aren't allowed to go near my car. I've been parking locally for several days and have heard nothing, but before I start doing it regularly I wanted to make sure that, legally, I'm right.
Thanks!
I'm not legally qualified nor experienced in this matter, but my 'best guess' is that:
1) The university can make parking regulations for students, (including regulations relating to off-campus parking) and could, at least in theory, discipline students for any breach, including withholding degrees for non-payment of "fines" imposed directly by the university following a formal disciplinary hearing (but not, IMO, unenforceable invoices sent by PPCs);
2) Any breach of the said regulations is an internal 'civil matter' between the university and its students, and neither the university nor the police would have 'lawful authority' to clamp or tow a car which is legitimately parked on public land, solely based on such a private dispute;
3) From next Monday, any clamping or towing without lawful authority will be a criminal offence, and doing so for the purpose of demanding a ransom is likely to constitute blackmail and extortion.