Last updated: 3 January 2024

Next review: 2 January 2025

If you park in contravention of parking regulations on the public highway, footway or within any council-owned car park, your vehicle will be given a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). Your vehicle may then be immediately removed and taken to the council car pound.

TRACE provides an online service for anyone whose vehicle may have been towed away for illegal parking by any council in London. The web service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. TRACE will advise which pound the vehicle has been moved to and provide information on the procedure for release

You can also contact TRACE on 0300 077 0100 or text TRACE followed by your vehicle registration to 66663 (please note you may be charged for this service).

What to do if you suspect your car has been removed by the council

The council no longer clamps vehicles unless they are abandoned vehicles parked in the borough streets or council car parks.

However if an unpaid PCN has progressed to warrant stage, enforcement agents from the council’s parking contractor (NSL) will carry out debt recovery with the help of clamps before taking it to one of their car pounds.

To retrieve your car you’ll need to contact the enforcement agency your debt was assigned to.

Contact details of enforcement agent companies

Waltham Forest Parking Clamp and Removal Line
Phone: 0203 092 0112 and select option 1 at all times
Fax: 020 8808 2966

Marston Group Ltd
P.O. Box 12019
Epping
CM16 9EB

Phone: 0845 074 3749
Email: info@marstongroup.co.uk

Newlyn PLC
PO BOX 933
Northampton
NN1 9DX

Phone: 01604 633 001
Fax: 01604 621 096
Email: enquiries@newlynplc.co.uk

 

CDER Group Ltd

9th Floor Peninsular House

30 – 36 Monument Street

London

EC3R 8LJG

Phone: 0330 460 5295

Email: info@contactcder.co.uk

 

Council car pound

North London Pound
Unit 1
Waltham Park Way
London
E17 5DU

Phone: 0203 092 0112 and select option 1 at all times
Fax: 0208 808 2966

Opening hours

The pound is open:

  • Monday to Saturday, 7am to 10pm
  • Sunday, 8am to 8pm​

Getting your vehicle back

Before your vehicle is released from the pound you’ll need to provide proof of identity, proof of vehicle ownership, proof that you are insured to drive the vehicle, and pay all charges (PCN, release fee and any storage charges).

Download the list of documents you can use for proof of identity and ownership (Word).

Charges

See pay Pay a parking penalty charge notice (PCN)  for details of clamping and removal charges.

Challenging clamping or removal

If you think you had exceptional reasons for parking where you did, you can tell us what your reasons were and why you are challenging the clamping or removal. This is called 'making a challenge'. You’ll need to pay all fees before you can make a challenge. 

Your challenge must be received within 28 days of your vehicle being released. Once the challenge is received we must respond fully within 56 days.

Challenge clamping or removal of a vehicle online 

Please note that we’ll send our response by Royal Mail, unless you specify that you wish to receive a response via e-mail.

You can also write to us at:

Waltham Forest Parking Services

Parking Services

PCN Removal Representation

PO Box 74924

London

E17 0UG

Email: wfpcn@nsl.co.uk

What happens next?

If we accept your challenge, we’ll refund the amount paid. If the challenge is rejected you’ll receive a formal ‘rejection letter’, and let you know how to challenge to the London Tribunals Environment and Traffic Adjudicator.

Help with completing online forms

For those without computers, you can use a self-service PC in any Waltham Forest Library

Staff there can help you to log in and create a MyAccount.