120 car owners advertising for sale on roadsides forced to remove them

MORE than 120 car owners advertising their vehicles for sale on the roadsides of Co Cork have removed them after being advised they were in contravention of a local bylaw.

Among those were 81 owners issued with warnings from the county council’s south Cork administrative area – which covers such places as Youghal, Midleton, Cobh, Glanmire, Blarney, Kinsale, Bandon and Macroom.

These owners were given notice their vehicles would be removed and put into storage if not removed within 24 hours. They were also informed they would be liable for removal and storage costs.

In the north Cork administration area – Watergrasshill, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Mallow, Charleville, Kanturk and Millstreet – there were 41 vehicle notices issued. Thirty-eight were removed within the required time limit.

However, three were impounded. Two were retrieved by their owners after paying a combined fine of €938.

However, one vehicle hasn’t been collected from the pound and, according to the council’s senior executive officer Maurice Manning, legal proceedings have been initiated in the courts to recover the costs.

The council’s west Cork administration area reported no fines and no legal proceedings although there was no report on how many notices to remove vehicles had been issued in the region.

The figures relate to the number of vehicles advertised illegally for sale on the side of public roads since the council introduced the bylaw on July 2, 2007.

Mallow-based Cllr Noel O’Connor said he welcomed the fact that the vast majority of people were complying with the bylaw.

But the Fine Gael councillor said he was concerned about large trailers now parked on the roadside which were “mobile advertising hoardings”.

He said there was one “particularly massive one” on the approach to Mallow which was causing great concern, especially to the local tidy towns organisation.

Cllr Tim Lombard (FG) said he was delighted the amount of cars up for sale on the side of the road had decreased as a result of the bylaws.

“Previously we had cars parked up on busy roundabouts, which was a distraction and safety issue,” Cllr Lombard said.

However, some councillors, most notably Cllr Kevin Murphy, said local authorities throughout the country needed uniformity on the issue.

“It’s evident to see on the way to Dublin, and back, that cars are parked all over the place advertising them for sale.

“This law should be implemented nationally,” Cllr Murphy said.