How can we get our residential parking back from local garage?

Question

The local garage park their trucks vans and cars anything upto 12 vehicles along our residential terrace. They rotate them so it's impossible for residents to park. They repair, hire, sell, and valet the cars & van's. Usually the garage itself is quite empty exept for cars their working on, it's a large garage and can easily accomondate aroung 20 vehicles. The proprieter is not approachable and has called police asking me to move my car ( I was parked a tad too close) as his emergency breakdown truck needed access 24/7 this was on a Sunday morning. The truck did not move and has not moved for the past 4 month's.

Answer 1

Get a petition signed by the residents and then report it to the police. Also, for proof, take down the vehicle reg. numbers!

also maybe talk to police and/or local residents about getting stickers made for inside the car saying that you are a resident. Then it will be easier for police to track down rogue vehicles.

Answer 2

Well, depends on your city.  I lived in L.A. and if a percentage of people in the neighborhood signed a petition you could get "preferential parking" in your neighborhood and only people who live there could get permits, businesses didn't qualify.  Also there are laws about how long cars can just sit without being moved.  You can complain to the city that broken down cars are littering the streets and they'll be more vigilent about ticketing and towing cars left unattended more than 24 or 48 hours.

Answer 3

I would get in touch with the planning enforcement officers at you local council, get evidence of the problem to start with, it is normally a requirement for such a business to have and use parking within its own premisses they may be able to help. As regards the police I am afraid unless an obstruction is caused they will probably do nothing

Answer 4

if i understand this right,,,,the cars and trucks that park on the street are being mended/valetted and worked on in the street then that in itself is an offence under  most town council by-laws,,,namely operating a business on a public street,,contact your council and they can deal with him for you,,,get photos etc to take with to prove your case,we had a garage owner near me who used to park cars outside his house on grass verges and the road,with for sale£!!!!! stickers on them,,,he was paying council tax and not business premises tax using his home street as an extension to his showroom,council soon stopped that little sideline,

ps check these vehicles all have valid road tax,,breakdown trucks can use trade plates as they only go to a recovery and back to the garage,,,if he leaves it on the road it may well have no road tax,,,it can be clamped/towed away and crushed if he doesnt pay a hefty fine

Answer 5

If it's a public road and parking is allowed then there is not a lot you can do legally.

Best thing is to go to your local councillor, he/she probably has a surgery, and ask for residential spaces to be allocated. If the majority of people in the street go (especially when local elections are being held!) you should be able to get something done.

Answer 6

Write to the council and ask other residents to write to the council asking them to change the parking in that area to, "Residents only, 0001-2400, Monday to Sunday." You are in tough situation but the garage owner is bending the rules and the only way to deal with it is to change the rules.

You might like to form a residents' association, assuming that none already exists, with aim of putting forward a candidate at the next council election.