Further to the various articles written by Gazette reporter Alex Fredman, the letters of Charles Forgan and the resultant feedback received from clamped victims, the Whitby Against Clamping campaign has discovered the wheel clamping policy of Northern Rail Ltd is far more widespread than originally feared, with many visitors, as well as local residents, being caught out.

Visitors appear to be the main target and victims of the clampers, the majority being holiday cottage and caravan park guests, who have popped to the Co-op for their first shop upon arrival on holiday, or guests of hotels and B&Bs.

For those readers who think 'well tough luck, they should have read the signs', answer these simple questions: Who in their right mind would deliberately evade paying for a parking ticket and risk getting clamped with a subsequent £120 release fee?

If the policy is designed to deter misuse of Northern Rail's car park, why does Hadrian Traffic Management normally start enforcing after 6pm when the car park is virtually empty?

And why do the clampers travel all the way from Newcastle every night to carry out this dubious service?

Holiday cottage owners and agents, holiday park operators and all interested businesses are urged to warn their customers of the perils of using the station car park.

Should you wish to display a warning notice, or report incidences of being clamped, please get in touch with myself or Charles Forgan.

Northern Rail Ltd, a Dutch-owned and heavily UK government subsidised company, is not only ruining the reputation of Whitby as a top visitor destination, but also itself, with a subsequent loss of trade and revenue.

Whitby never had this problem when Arriva operated the trains.This is not parking enforcement of a misused car park, this is blatant and morally unjustifiable profiteering.