Nothing wrong with roadside 'car showrooms' in Yeovil

COUNCILLORS will be told this week that there is nothing illegal about roadside ‘car showrooms’ springing up in Yeovil.

There were concerns among Yeovil Town Council earlier this year about the number of cars being parked up at the sides of roads and being offered for sale.

To see a car parked up with a ‘for sale’ sign in the window is nothing out of the ordinary with many of them being privately-placed, but councilors were worried that some were turning their car-selling exploits into a commercial business – with Brympton Way, Preston Road and West Coker Road in Yeovil coming under scrutiny.

But members of the council’s buildings and civic matters committee will be told on Tuesday (March 19) that no laws are being broken.

Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, it is an offence to leave two or more vehicles parked ‘’within 500 metres of each other’’ on a road or roads where they are exposed or advertised for sale. An offence is also committed if a person causes two or more motor vehicles to be so left.

But a council spokesman said: ‘’However, it is an acceptable defence to prove to the satisfaction of the court that the person was not acting for the purposes of a business of selling motor vehicles.

‘’Consequently, individual members of the public who park and advertise the sale of their own vehicle on the highway is not subject to these controls.’’

South Somerset District Council is responsible for the enforcement of these policies and its Street Scene team monitors the situation and carry out regular checks.

And the town council spokesman said: ‘’From the visits they have undertaken, it would appear that the parked vehicles for sale are being offered within the law.’’

Councillors will be reminded that vehicles parked on the roads that are untaxed or uninsured are dealt with by the police under different legislation.

They will also be told that action can be taken against the owner of any vehicle that is parked in a manner which obstructs ‘free passage’ along the road.

Councillors are being asked to ‘note’ the matter.

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