The Vans on the Car Park by Steelyard Cut

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There have been lots of complaints about these rusty white vans and rightly so as they really look awful. The owner, Andy Williams has been using them as a builders store while he does some conversion work. He does own a flat in RQ and lives in Princes Court. He makes his living as a buytolet investor.
I have been trying diplomatically to  get him to remove them but now someone has scored an own goal. The vans are clamped so he cannot remove them, the tyres have been let down and the locks filled with superglue so how on earth can we expect him to move them?
So the person who put a note on the windscreen saying he is the Asshole of the Year can join him as the recipient of that prestigious prize.
Chris T

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Very quick to assume it was somebody at Rainbow Quay who did this Chris.  Also I am astonished that you have been so quick to pass judgement.  Its been over a year that those vans have been left there and where has diplomacy got you? As I am sure you are no doubt aware, clamping is an activity that requires license these days.  Thus it would have to be either the Police, the Council or the DVLA who has taken this action.  That or perhaps the poor Mr Williams has done it himself to make himself look like a victim, did you stop to consider those options?  At the end of the day it seems like an inconvenience for somebody who prides himself on inconveniencing others.

I have at last got all the information necessary to prove to the council that the vans are on Council Land and I am very much looking forward to having a chat with the Parking Manager upon his return from holiday later next week. 

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Just took a look and couldn't see any clamps, so perhaps it was a short term message to the owner?  Hopefully when the legal precedence is resolved all 5 of the untaxed vehicles will be removed.

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A bit of a mystery this as, from memory, it is not the first time these vans have been clamped and unclamped within a very short space of time. ???

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Hi Simon, I am just wondering if there has been any development of those old vehicles? It has recently come to my attention too that there are at least five around the RQ block as I was showing friends around how a lovely neighbourhood we have, maybe not so as well as I wish to show. Many thanks.

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Hi Frank,

The council are drawing up legislation to introduce parking controls in the area.  Apparently these things take quite a bit of time.  I am due to have an update on its progress on Monday, so I will repost then with any extra news.

All the best
Simon

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  🙁 It looks like the legislation is on the back burner however I expect a further update by next week.

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Did anyone else witness the attack on the vans yesterday (Sunday 15th Sept) at 4pm by a group of feral youths? I spoke to the police who attended, and they explained that there was little they could do as the owner of the vans had not yet made a complaint.
These vans have been parked there since August 2012, their condition has deteriorated, the gap between the vans seems to be increasingly used as a public urinal, there is no insurance or MOT on these vehicles and I find it difficult to accept that the quoted SORN status of the vehicles is valid.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we might do to resolve this situation? I have complained to the council, RMG management and DVLA but the silence is deafening.

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I know this is dragging on but its a much more complicated issue than first inspection indicates.  Its all to do with land designation, road designation and the law.  I have just had a very brief chat with Highways and it has left me feeling slightly more positive that resolution is getting closer.  I will update as and when I have some cold hard facts.

All the best
Simon

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Update;

DVLA have clamped the vans and the removal is booked for next week (apparently).

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Job done  🙂

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It really must had been Christmas, the old Land Rover outside Rainbow 2 and the old caravan between 99 and 100 also disappeared.

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Might have been due to a gentle reminder going into the council  😉

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Or someone (not me) finally offered near enough the £6,500 asking price for the Land Rover…?

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