An allegedly unregistered car has been left parked half on the pavement in a narrow Brighton street with a succession of parking tickets discarded near by.
People living in Bloomsbury Place have been reported the car for the past month for blocking the way for pedestrians and making it hard for other vehicles to pass.
Robert Brown, who lives in the area and stood for election for the Liberal Democrat in Kemptown ward, has taken up the case.
He said that the vehicle’s number plate was not registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Mr Brown said that he had been in regular contact with Brighton and Hove City Council’s parking enforcement team after speaking with people in the area about the rogue vehicle.
The street is patrolled regularly and, he said, the car has been ticketed daily but neighbours have found the parking fine notices discarded on the pavement.
Mr Brown said: “It’s busy enough for those who live in Bloomsbury Place due to the links from the hospital and St George’s Road to the seafront, without the additional issues of cars parking on the pavements blocking residents and visitors from safely going about their business.
“Brighton and Hove City Council are wanting to ensure pavement parking is an enforceable act yet when you have the local authorities, DVLA and the police all passing the buck or doing nothing, residents are the ones who suffer.”
Labour councillor Trevor Muten, who chairs the council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee, said that he was sorry to hear how residents were being inconvenienced by the driver’s persistent illegal parking.
He said: “It is a real shame that this individual is choosing to commit offences using an unregistered vehicle. But this is not something the council has enforcement powers over.
“We have advised the residents that this must be taken up with Sussex Police and the DVLA if the problems in their street continue.
“Our enforcement team hands out penalty charge notices to vehicles that are parked in contravention of local parking rules.
“We would have no legal basis for taking into account possible issues around vehicle registration when doing so.
“We do everything within our legal powers to enforce payment of penalty charge notices.
“Vehicle registration issues are a matter for the DVLA and the police. Only they have the legal powers to pursue unregistered vehicles.
“Pavement parking impedes safe access by pedestrians and those with disabilities, and can cause damage to the pavement. It is inconsiderate and unacceptable.”
The DVLA said that on-road enforcement for unregistered vehicles was carried out by the police.
They said: “The police also have the power to issue a fixed penalty notice instead of prosecuting the vehicle owner through the courts.
“Fraudulent use of a vehicle registration number is an offence. A person guilty of such an offence is liable to a fine of up to £5,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to two years when convicted.”
Sussex Police said that the force was aware of one report of concern about a vehicle in the Kemp Town area and was working with partner agencies to review what action may be appropriate.
Walked past it around lunchtime today and it had been moved over to the other side of the road at least
And yet other idiots can redeem their abandoned car at the pound ,,,,,,,,, in and out under a month,,,,,, mostly, or scrapped. Usual Government funded idiocy in its daily routine.
Bring back the pound and tow truck to working 7am-6pm
Nothing new in the area happens every day in charlotte street
Funny how after I left my car, which had a residents permit, on a non resident bay where the sign was partially obscured and received 3 tickets was towed away and I had to pay a couple of hundred to get it back. Seems like there’s one rule for residents and another for those who can’t even be bothered to have a legally registered vehicle. Incidently is the vehicle legally insured, given it carries an illegal registration. Worth following up with the Police and Crime Commissioner who is standing for re-election in May. Well done Lib Dems on doing something whilst our elected councillors draw their allowance and do nothing.
If you got three tickets, you had several opportunities there to understand what you were doing wrong, or to appeal it if you believe it was an error.
I did appeal it and the process was still ongoing when they towed it. I then put in a formal complaint as I was waiting for a response from the traffic manager when they towed it. The result, I was asked by a councillor to withdraw my complaint as it would go on the record and could damage the traffic manager’s career. I paid the two tickets I found but the third was not on the car, the photo they supplied only showed two tickets hence my appeal and complaint. The council knew something was wrong as they waived the pound fees.
Unfortunately Trevor,
The law abiding, registered, tax paying person is low hanging fruit: the crafty, false plates, unlikely tax payer knows this!
Next time I’m walking Spitfire up there I’ll see if he fancies a tinkle on those wheels!
Hopefully all this publicity means some will simply take it: after all it’s an abandoned unregistered vehicle….it wouldn’t be a crime!
It actually would be crime. Best not give legal advice if you don’t know the law.
Spoil Sport!
Just as Well it’s not a BUS lane e…h
All you need is an old pram with a large nail sticking out the side. Accidentally gouge the paintwork each time you squeeze past.
I am rather surprised that this thing doesn’t get towed. Just goes to show the different rules some people can follow.
This sort of car usually ends up getting torched by the owner after it’s temporary usefulness ends anyway.
A burned out car normally gets shifted by the authorities pretty quickly.
Just saying!
They are often part of drug dealing. Drugs are left in the car to be picked up by the addict……
Wind your foolishness back a bit. WTF do you know???
That’s an expensive way to dead drop items.
I live at the end of the road. The car is constantly in the road somewhere. Usually blocking the path, sometimes up round the corner near the alley. I see it most mornings on the way to work. The car needs to be taken away or dealt with. Clearly fines aren’t working.
If the registration is not found in the DVLA database, then the car cannot be insured by the owner. This is the correct action. Report to DVLA via DVLA Report un taxed or un insured vehicle. From then on it’s up to DVLA to clamp and remove the vehicle & after a time the car will be desposed of
What is stopping the police from towing it away? No valid Reg mark means no insurance, no tax and quite possible fraud.
It’s been there so long i’m amazed it hasn’t got graffiti tags all over it by now?
Apply for listed monument status?
Seriously, it was suggested that it wouldn’t be a crime to just take it.
WRONG!
That, I believe, would be a ‘stealing from persons unknown’, offence under the Theft Act 1968.
Wrong, un registered to an owner and illegally parked is more than enough to lift it, “persons unknown” being 1 of the illegalities on the road, has to by law be registered and insured ON THE ROAD, also can not be insured to “unknown persons” therefore ILLEGAL ON THE ROAD
That’s not a legal argument though. You’d also be committing another different crime of driving an unregistered vehicle.
Spoil Sport!
This doesn’t make any sense. Sunday morning on Charlotte street and a car that was parked on double yellows overnight had been towed away by midday after 2 tickets were issued. The council regularly tow vehicles away, why not here in Bloomsbury place.
Any Councillors moonlighting ???? would explain why its not been lifted, or maybe Special Branch doing a not so discreet under cover op ?? Must be local or State Government affiliated otherwise it would be long gone,
Over a week ago I saw the tow truck apparently coming to lift it. The guy had a look around the car, decided the truck could negotiate the narrow dog-leg entrance at the top of the street. Drove to the bottom of the street via the sea front and then say that a scaffolding truck was parked smack in the middle of the road obstructing access. And as we all know in Bloomsbury Place scaffolding vehicles can park wherever they like. 🙂
typo: could NOT negotiate
Undercover….!
Let’s be sensible…this is clearly being used by person – or persons – who know the criminal and legal consequences: A Barrister perhaps!
Ooohh….Or someone with access to Google.
Someone cover it with fish and let the seagulls do their work. Repeat as required.
Fish? Not at those prices.
The council & councillors should be able to get a response from the police about residents concerns like this.
But last year residents of Dyke Rd complained that building contractors were blocking the pavement.
Sussex police said it was the councils problem . Then a resident threatened to put ” pavements for pedestrians” stickers on the vehicles. The police immediately responded that they were investigating the threats