Bolton roadside car traders face action

9:58am Monday 5th May 2008

Comments (17)   Have your say »

ROGUE traders who sell cars illegally at the side of the road have been warned they face court action.

Bolton Council has slapped notices on 63 vehicles, warning vendors they could be prosecuted if they continue to advertise vehicles on or at the side of the highway.

One trader is already facing prosecution after he was caught selling a number of vehicles in the same locations.

Meanwhile, council officers forced the owners of six vehicles advertised for sale in Deane to move them or face action.

In recent months, roads in Westhoughton have been blighted by the traders who park cars with "for sale" signs in the windows with only a mobile phone contact number.

It is an offence to leave two or more vehicles advertised for sale parked within 500 metres of each other on a road, under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Since March, officers at Bolton Council have targeted the A6 corridor around Westhoughton, which has been particularly badly affected.

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: "Sales of this kind cause a nuisance for both residents and motorists and we are tackling the issue through a joint partnership between the council's highways and engineering department and licensing unit."

Council officers have telephoned the owners of vehicles advertised for sale along Wigan Road, Deane, to warn them they must move them or risk losing them.

Under section 149 of the Highways Act, councils can apply for a court order allowing them to tow away and scrap cars that are causing a nuisance on the highway.

The spokesman said: "This is an ongoing campaign and we will continue to obtain the details of vehicles being sold on the highway and use information from the DVLA to help us take further action.

"We are also planning to remove further vehicles from the highway in accordance with Section 149."

The issue was highlighted last month by Westhoughton Town Council, which called on Bolton Council to take action.

Town Council leader Cllr David Chadwick said: "I'm pleased to hear something is being done about it. The selling of cars on the road side is particularly acute here in Westhoughton and the sooner action is taken against these traders the better.

"It isn't acceptable to be trading from the kerbside. It is a distraction to drivers as they travel in and round the town."