Act on parking pirates

IN February, this newspaper applauded the Government for pledging to get tough on private parking firms who bullied motorists into paying unreasonable and extortionate fines to line their own pockets.

More fool us! For at the first whiff of grapeshot, ministers lost their nerve and watered down the rules. As a result, this legalised mugging continues apace.

Since then, these carpark cowboys have issued a record 30,000 parking tickets a day – and stand to collect a staggering £1billion in penalty payments this year.

Shouldn’t the Government protect drivers from unfair punishment – not reward the egregious cynicism of the parking pirates.