Gosport Borough Council is getting itself a bit of a reputation when it comes to dealing with cars parked for sale on the roads and verges, but all in a good way it has to be said.
Yes, we’ve all seen them, a car parked on the roadside, in lay-bys or on grass verges with a hand written ‘For Sale’ sign displayed in the window. Well Gosport Borough Council decided enough was enough back in April this year and implemented new enforcement procedures regards the illegal selling of cars on the roadside.
News of the work of the Gosport Enforcement Team at Gosport and the success achieved has now reached other authorities, with the result that Council’s from as far away as the North of England, to the West Country, are now contacting Streetscene to find a way forward in reducing the problem in their area.
“Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, Section 3 and Schedule 4, it an offence to sell or offer for sale any item on the street without a consent issued by this Council,” said Tom Cousins, Principal Enforcement Officer for Gosport Borough Council. “This actually came into force when all streets in the Borough (including forecourts, roads, foot-ways or other areas adjacent to such streets for a distance of 100 metres) were designated as Consent Streets for the purpose of a street trading by-law in October 1998.”
The trouble was without proper enforcement, the problem of cars for sale on the road continued to escalate. That was until Streetscene was formed and when earlier this year Members decided something had to be done.
In an effort to combat the problem Streetscene Enforcement Officers, who patrol the Borough 7 days a week, began informing vendors of the offences they were committing and instructing them to remove their vehicles. If the vendor or owner couldn’t be identified, notices were attached to the windscreen of the vehicle informing the vehicle was being offered for sale illegally. Officers also used a variety of surveillance techniques to identify vendors before forwarding cases for prosecution to the Magistrates Court, where a maximum fine of £1000 could be given.
“It is not always local residents who are selling the cars, but sometimes, unscrupulous dealers out to make a quick profit,” said Councillor Dennis Wright, Chairman of Community & Environment, the Board responsible for implementing the scheme.
“As well as causing a hazard by leaving them parked on the Highway, they have also left cars advertised for sale in lay-bys, grass verges or even outside of our residents’ homes, often causing them a great inconvenience. We are delighted the scheme has proved so successful here in Gosport and if our Officers can help other authorities reduce the problem in their area by passing on some tips then Members are happy to support that.”
