Two drivers in Dublin have been clamped 54 times in the last four years – racking up a combined bill of almost €9,000, it has been revealed.

This equates to being clamped once every three or four weeks in the four year period.

The two parking offenders – the worst in the city - were identified in a four-year analysis of registration numbers by William Keilthy, the parking appeals officer for Dublin City Council.

Some 2,010 cars were clamped between five and 50 times.

The authors of the report recommended that cars clamped more than three times in the previous year could face clamp release fees of €160.

“For the +2,000 persistent offending motorists it is clear that the current declamp fees are not an effective deterrent,” the authors said.

"In the authors opinion there is therefore a strong case for updating the regulations to allow for tiered clamp release fees to target persistent offenders, for example cars clamped more than say three times in the previous 12 months could face clamp release fees of €160 (2 x €80)."

"If that did not work then the council should have the right to increase this fee further for these types of offenders," they added.

The €80 fee has been in existence since 1998, however in his 2015 annual report to the city council tomorrow, Mr Keilthy will recommend the hikes to the council's strategic police committee on transportation.

In 2015, 54,069 vehicles were clamped, relocated and clamped, or removed to the pound. Some 3,476 parking appeals were received.

The top two offences - failure to display a valid ticket/ permit or to register via parking tag - accounted for 59pc of clamping incidents, the report said.

The streets where motorists were were clamped the most last year were Ormond Quay Upper, followed by Mespil Road, Burlington Road, Wolfe Tone Street, Waterloo Road, Merrion Square West, Molesworth Street, Gardiner Street Lower, Earlsfort Terrace, and South Circular Road.

Online Editors