A car sales company has been handed a £4,400 bill for illegally using residential roads as an extension to the forecourt.

Southend Council received a number of complaints from residents regarding Eastwood Motor Company, Rayleigh Road, Eastwood using neighbouring residential roads to park cars for sale.

The council’s environmental care team launched an investigation which supported the complaints made, with vehicles listed for sale on the company’s website were seen parked throughout several neighbouring roads for a period of months.

Under existing legislation, commercial businesses selling vehicles are allowed to park and advertise just one vehicle on the public highway. To park more than one vehicle that is advertised for sale, such as a traditional “for sale sign”, or to advertise it as for sale online, is an offence.

Eastwood Motor Company appeared at Southend Magistrates Court on Tuesday 10 September, where a guilty plea was entered for all 48 charges. The company received a fine of £2,400 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.

Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “This outcome should go a long way to helping local residents that were impacted by the actions of the company. This would not have been possible without the information provided by local residents.

“By parking in residential roads, residents suffered a loss of parking which also has a potential impact on emergency services should they need to visit the local area. I hope the business sees this as a learning curve and will take on board the problems with taking up the parking spaces in neighbouring roads.”

To raise a complaint, please visit www.southend.gov.uk/MySouthend