Blitz on illegal car sales
4:45pm Thursday 23rd August 2007 in News By Anna Youssef
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ILLEGAL car traders are to be targeted in a council crackdown.
Town Hall chiefs say traders who are selling vehicles from Bolton's roads could face prosecution.
Bolton Council's licensing department is to launch a two month operation to combat illegal street selling.
Officers will investigate reports of people selling cars illegally from public highways or their homes - often through advertising phone numbers in car or van windows.
Under council policy it is only legal to sell a car from a home address if it has been registered in the owner's name, and they have been at that address for at least six months.
Alan Fisher, from Bolton Council's licensing department, said: "If we find circumstances where we can put together evidence which stands a realistic prospect before the courts, it's our intention to bring a prosecution. We hope it will act as a deterrent to others from selling illegally from Bolton's streets."
Mr Fisher spoke at a meeting of Westhoughton Town Council after councillors complained of illegal street sales in the area. He explained that the problem had not been a priority for licensing officers who had had to concentrate on other areas of work, but said that the council now wanted to dedicate more resources to combating illegal street trading.
Westhoughton Town Council leader Cllr David Chadwick said: "People are selling cars where they are not paying their dues and demands. People have complained to us about it and are keen to see something done."
