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Can a car trader park his cars all over our residential road?
We have a new neighbour who is apparently a trade plate delivery driver. A couple of weeks ago, his wife door-stepped me, complaining that my works van (which I am allowed to take home) was parked (albeit quite legitimately) 'too close' to the dropped kerb for her drive. Coincidentally, this was the exact same spot where her husband has taken to parking his delivery cars, despite them having a drive that would allow them off-road storage. The difference was, I got home from work before he did...
More recently, he has taken to parking his delivery cars across the dropped kerb, or so close to the parked vehicle in front that they cannot leave their parking space. In short, the guy has no regard for other residents in the street and is causing quite a bit of resentment with his actions. He is now storing delivery vehicles on the pavement until they are due for onward travel to their new owners - effectively using the pavement as business storage (with no trade plates visible on the vehicles). What insurance do these people need to allow them to do this?
I was under the impression that insurance for trade-platers covered the transit of the vehicle or private storage. I wasn't aware they could still be covered while storing untaxed vehicles on the road/pavement. I don't want to enter into a discussion with the guy at present, as he has fobbed off other neighbours who have complained to him directly, and decided to exact revenge on me for my apparent parking error by leaving a delivery car across the front of my property for a couple of days.
If you could shed some light on what traders are allowed to do with the cars they are supposed to be delivering, I'd appreciate it — as would my neighbours. We all know the issues with street parking, but this guy appears to not even want to consider anyone else.
More recently, he has taken to parking his delivery cars across the dropped kerb, or so close to the parked vehicle in front that they cannot leave their parking space. In short, the guy has no regard for other residents in the street and is causing quite a bit of resentment with his actions. He is now storing delivery vehicles on the pavement until they are due for onward travel to their new owners - effectively using the pavement as business storage (with no trade plates visible on the vehicles). What insurance do these people need to allow them to do this?
I was under the impression that insurance for trade-platers covered the transit of the vehicle or private storage. I wasn't aware they could still be covered while storing untaxed vehicles on the road/pavement. I don't want to enter into a discussion with the guy at present, as he has fobbed off other neighbours who have complained to him directly, and decided to exact revenge on me for my apparent parking error by leaving a delivery car across the front of my property for a couple of days.
If you could shed some light on what traders are allowed to do with the cars they are supposed to be delivering, I'd appreciate it — as would my neighbours. We all know the issues with street parking, but this guy appears to not even want to consider anyone else.
Asked on 22 April 2021 by Mark
Answered by
Georgia Petrie
There are a few things here to break down but I'll run through each of them. There's also extra info here, which we wrote, on our parent site, heycar: heycar.co.uk/guides/what-are-my-parking-rights-
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (part two), it's an offence to park vehicles on the street in order to sell them and to park vehicles on the street in order to carry out repairs for a business. Section three states that it's an offence for a person to park vehicles on a street in order to be sold. There must be two or more vehicles on the same street, no more than 500 metres apart, acting as part of a business for the offence to be committed. He also needs them to be on trade plates: www.nfda-uk.co.uk/press-room/newsletter/2019/7/dvl...m
You can also report untaxed vehicles here. Trade vehicles don't require taxing, but it's my understanding that if he hasn't got them on trade plates then they need to be taxed.
As for the dropped kerb, you can park near them as long as you don't block them so you seem to be in the right here. If she has a problem with you parking too close to the dropped kerb on the public road, but you aren't blocking entry/exit from their driveway, then she's just out of luck asking you to move. It's actually an offence to park over your own dropped kerb as they're also created in order to assist vulnerable road users (mum's with prams, blind pedestrians, wheelchair users etc) in getting on and off the pavement/road safely.
Street parking is going to continually get worse and I receive a lot of similar stories from other readers due to narrow roads, more cars per household etc. It's best to stay cordial while you can, but you're within your rights to report the cars - as I understand it. If you have further queries, I suggest speaking to Citizens Advice as they should be able to help with more specific matters of the law.
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (part two), it's an offence to park vehicles on the street in order to sell them and to park vehicles on the street in order to carry out repairs for a business. Section three states that it's an offence for a person to park vehicles on a street in order to be sold. There must be two or more vehicles on the same street, no more than 500 metres apart, acting as part of a business for the offence to be committed. He also needs them to be on trade plates: www.nfda-uk.co.uk/press-room/newsletter/2019/7/dvl...m
You can also report untaxed vehicles here. Trade vehicles don't require taxing, but it's my understanding that if he hasn't got them on trade plates then they need to be taxed.
As for the dropped kerb, you can park near them as long as you don't block them so you seem to be in the right here. If she has a problem with you parking too close to the dropped kerb on the public road, but you aren't blocking entry/exit from their driveway, then she's just out of luck asking you to move. It's actually an offence to park over your own dropped kerb as they're also created in order to assist vulnerable road users (mum's with prams, blind pedestrians, wheelchair users etc) in getting on and off the pavement/road safely.
Street parking is going to continually get worse and I receive a lot of similar stories from other readers due to narrow roads, more cars per household etc. It's best to stay cordial while you can, but you're within your rights to report the cars - as I understand it. If you have further queries, I suggest speaking to Citizens Advice as they should be able to help with more specific matters of the law.
Tags:
trade plates
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