11:32 am, September 16, 2026
An Omoda and Jaecoo dealership in Watford has come in for strong criticism from nearby residents after its vehicle stock spilled off the forecourt and into surrounding areas.
Locals near the Lower High Street have reportedly been pulling their hair out after overflow vehicles were left on surrounding pavements, double yellow lines and residents’ parking bays.
Cars were also left in the neighbouring Watford Fields area, with local councillors now stepping in to take action.
Central Ward councillor Sam Summer told the Watford Observer that parking enforcement teams made 133 visits to the area during August, either as part of routine patrols or following complaints.
He said ‘numerous’ fines had been issued to registered vehicles, although unregistered cars were more difficult to take action against.
One resident told the Watford Observer that the situation was causing traffic to back up and preventing elderly people, wheelchair users and parents with buggies from safely passing.
The issue has also been raised with Hertfordshire Police.
Summer said: ‘While we want local businesses to thrive, commercial success cannot come at the expense of public safety.’
Endeavour Automotive Group, which owns the dealership, said it was aware of the concerns and was taking them seriously.
A spokesperson for the retailer said: ‘As vehicle volumes increase at certain times of the year, we recognise the impact of parking can have on local residents, pedestrians and surrounding public spaces.
‘To help resolve this issue, we have secured an additional compound, three in total, to ease the pressure on the site and provide further vehicle storage capacity.
‘This is aimed at reducing the need for vehicles to be parked on surrounding roads, while also helping to remove cars from grass verges and keep pedestrian pathways clear and accessible.
‘We are committed to storing vehicles responsibly and being a good neighbour. We will continue to review our operations to help reduce any disruption to local residents and visitors.’