Callous clampers thwart bid to respond to emergency call

EFFORTS by a drainage company to respond to an emergency call from a Dublin city centre retailer with a flooded basement were thwarted yesterday when two of its vehicles were clamped.

The drivers, employed by A&T Drain Services, left the emergency beacons flashing on the van and truck when they went into the Westmoreland Street branch of Black Tie to inspect the damage caused by a blocked sewer. Within five minutes of their arrival at 9.25am, however, both vehicles were clamped and it took two hours and a fine of €160 to free them.

One of the drivers, David Harris, said employees of Control Plus were putting one of the two clamps on the truck when they came out of the shop. A clamp was already on the van.

“We explained that we were on an emergency job; that there was sewage in the basement, but they told us we should not be in the area until after 10am,” he said.

When the clampers said the vehicles should have been parked in the loading bay, Mr Harris said the bay was too far away from the shop and the hoses would have been hazardous for pedestrians. And he said the vehicles could not have parked in the bay anyway as it was already blocked by parked cars.

The drivers also complained no warning sticker was placed on the truck and that the clamps were placed on the wheels on the passenger side.

The company was later told that in future they should get a Temporary Position Permit, but that process can take up to two weeks. Dublin City Council parking enforcement officer Paul McCarthy said a reasonable attitude was taken with regard to companies providing emergency services in the city centre. If the company had informed the council it was on the way to a particular area, the message would have been passed onto Control Plus.