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Moto has once again had to defend its clamping policy after an LGV was clamped for parking in a coach bay at Thurrock services. Peter Dale, director of St Albans, Herts-based Cars in Camera, says his driver pulled into the service area to withdraw cash for the Dartford Crossing at 7.50am on 19 June. "He parked the 10m-long curtainsider truck in a bay and ran into the cashpoint. He returned at 7.55am to find the vehicle being clamped."

Dale says: "To  clamp any vehicle sensibly parked in a public motorway service area, designed as a refuge for people using the motorway, because it's parked on the wrong bit of asphalt is criminally outrageous." Driver Keith Bennett says there were no obvious signs stating that the bays were for coaches only and that other vehicles would be clamped. "The two clamping operatives were quite intimidating and left me no option but to pay the £255 release fee," Bennett says.

Cars in Camera has now appealed against the fine. This is not the first time Moto's clamping policy has upset drivers. A Mark Doel Transport vehicle was clamped at Thurrock last month and the driver claimed that foreign vehicles parked in adjacent spaces were not clamped at the beginning of June, Home and Away Express and Princefield Haulage both had CVs clamped for parking in coach bays  at Lymm Services.

Moto says: "As part of a new parking policy which has been introduced recently at our Thurrock service area, any vehicle, car, van or LGV that parks in a dedicated coach bay risks being clamped. "For some time the site has experienced problems with LGV drivers choosing to park in coach bays because of their location close to the amenity building. This creates problems for coach drivers and their passengers, and also has health and safety implications for passengers moving around large vehicles with a limited view."

Moto adds: "The coach bays are clearly marked 'coaches only' and signage states that vehicles parking illegally will be clamped. Clamping is carried out by a professional licensed company working on behalf of CP-Plus, which is responsible for policing parking at Thurrock." CP-Plus is investigating the case and as a result refuses to give any comment.