A Leigh-on-Sea dealership was told to pay a total of £4,400 after illegally using residential roads as an extension to its forecourt.
Eastwood Motor Company, which is based in Rayleigh Road, admitted 48 charges of the offence when it appeared before Southend magistrates and was fined £2,400 and told to pay £2,000 costs.
The court was told that Southend-on-Sea Borough Council had received a number of complaints from residents about the dealership using neighbouring roads to park cars for sale.
An investigation by the council’s environmental care team found that vehicles listed for sale on Eastwood’s website were parked in several neighbouring roads for some months.
Dealerships are only allowed to park and advertise one vehicle for sale on the public highway.
If more than one is parked and advertised for sale – for example, using a traditional ‘for sale’ sign or advertising it online – it’s an offence.
After the case, Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: ‘This outcome should go a long way to helping local residents that were impacted by the actions of the company.
‘This would not have been possible without the information provided by local residents.
‘By parking in residential roads, residents suffered a loss of parking which also has a potential impact on emergency services should they need to visit the local area.
‘I hope the business sees this as a learning curve and will take on board the problems with taking up the parking spaces in neighbouring roads.’
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