THE boss of a printing firm has criticised new parking restrictions on an industrial estate, claiming they are nothing more than a money-making exercise.

THE boss of a printing firm has criticised new parking restrictions on an industrial estate, claiming they are nothing more than a money-making exercise.

Tom Cloughterty, managing director of Deben Print Ltd, on Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate, Ipswich, said signs warning that vehicles will be clamped and towed away if parked in certain areas were introduced without warning on April 9.

Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate Ltd, which is responsible for the general upkeep and maintenance of the roads on the estate, has contracted Proserve Enforcement, of Unity Street, Ipswich, to carry out the clamping and impose the fines.

Mr Cloughterty said users of the industrial estate were not consulted about the move and he had now written a letter to Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate Ltd asking them to remove the restrictions.

He said: “It was a complete surprise and we had absolutely no warning that the signs were going to be put up and the restrictions enforced. We have always parked on the roads and now we are suddenly faced with being fined.

“The first I knew about it was when a couple of lads who work here told me that they had been fined £117.50 for parking where they have always parked. Considering the usual penalty in town is about £50 or £60 it is a huge amount.

“It's completely unfair and totally outrageous because as far as I can see it is just a money-making exercise. There are no other road markings or double yellow lines.

“It's a lovely estate and we have had no problems with parking before. I see no reason why we should be threatened with being clamped or towed away.

“People need to travel to work and if they can't do that then it will create difficulties. In fact it's not even clear where you can and can't park. As far as I can tell the only spaces that are legitimate are those allocated to factories, which means no one else can park anywhere.

“We already pay Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate a quarterly service charge as well as a sinking fund and now on top of this we are faced with restricted parking. It's very difficult to know what we can do.”

Both a spokesman for Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate Ltd and a spokesman for Proserve Enforcement refused to comment last night.