MOTORISTS and scrap yard staff have complained of traffic and parking problems because of old cars being dumped beside the road.

Retired truck driver Rikki Oak, 67, from Sandford-on-Thames said the dumping of vehicles by drivers outside Greenwoods scrap yard on Pettiwell, near Garsington was causing "parking mayhem" and was "an accident waiting to happen”.

The scrapyard has also complained, calling it a "nightmare".

Mr Oak takes his grandchildren to Garsington CE Primary School and uses Pettiwell as a short cut.

He has become increasingly angry at seeing cars ready to be scrapped, parked on the double yellow lines making it dangerous for drivers especially on the school run.

Mr Oak said: “On any one particular day, including at night, at least 20 cars have been left there unattended on the double yellow lines.

“The road is very narrow, and it is hard to pass.

"We all know that there should be no parking on double yellow lines.

"It is just very dangerous.”

The grandfather has noticed the dangerous parking for months and does not believe much has been done to prevent parking on the double yellow lines.

He added: “A lot of the cars are scrap.

"A few days ago I noticed one of the cars had two five-gallon litres of fuel on the roof."

A manager at Greenwoods, who asked to remain anonymous, said staff were just as frustrated with the "nightmare" parking as Mr Oak and said the parked cars were left by visitors.

He said: “It is a nightmare. It is a narrow lane with a national speed limit. People are coming and just leaving their cars. We have had people who have left cars there for up to a year.”

He added: “It is an accident waiting to happen.”

Mr Oak and Greenwoods MOT have made Oxfordshire County Council aware of the dangerous parking problem on Pettiwell, but Thames Valley Police is currently responsible for parking restrictions.

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Greenwoods of Garsington has previously contacted the police about the dangerous parking but says the problem had been neglected.

Thames Valley Police has been contacted but did not respond by the time of publication.

Oxford Mail:

It is hoped the situation could change by next year. The county council is planning to take on responsibility for parking enforcement in South Oxfordshire, the Vale of White Horse, and Cherwell.

If this happens, residents can inform the county council’s parking officers about illegal parking hotspots, and they will be able to take action.

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Parking offences, which include overstaying in pay-and-display bays, double-parking, dropped kerb obstruction and yellow line infringements, would be enforced by the county council’s contractor Conduent.

Penalty charges range from £50-£70 but would be reduced by 50 per cent if paid within 14 days.