DRIVERS could soon be handed a "three strikes and you're clamped" warning in York.

City councillors will be debating plans to push through measures to crack down on motorists who park illegally and ignore penalty fines.

The scheme, to be discussed at a meeting on July 7, will apply to motorists who have been issued with three penalty charge notices in a six-month period and are again caught parking illegally.

Where City of York Council can trace those who refuse to pay their fines, the authority will be able to clamp and remove vehicles they find breaking parking rules once more.

People who have their vehicles clamped will be charged £40 for the service, and £40 for their vehicles to be declamped.

If vehicles are taken away, motorists will be charged £75 with a storage fee of £6 a day.

Coun Ann Reid, the council's executive member for planning and transport, said: "This is partly in response to complaints from residents that people park all over the place. They get tickets, they don't pay and then continue to park illegally."

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, June 30, 2004