A Chinese car dealership in Watford, Hertfordshire, is at the center of a parking dispute with local residents as its vehicle stock increasingly overflows onto surrounding streets and pavements. The Omoda and Jaecoo dealership has been the subject of over 130 enforcement visits in the past month due to complaints about cars allegedly obstructing pedestrian pathways, parking bays, and even a bus stop.
Residents describe dangerous conditions, with pedestrians forced into the road to navigate around the parked vehicles. "They're on the pavement where people walk down, so they have to go out into the road to come," said Elsie Humphries, an 87-year-old resident. Another local, Annie Secunda, 83, noted that their community's bus stop has been blocked, forcing buses to stop in the middle of the road and making it difficult for elderly people to board.
New car deliveries, including the Jaecoo 7 SUV, are reportedly arriving daily, exacerbating the issue on the narrow local roads. Glody, 30, a nearby resident, stated, "It's pretty dangerous - the roads around this area are pretty narrow, and if cars are taking up the footpath, people have to walk in to the road."
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, acknowledged the residents' frustration and stated the council has increased patrols and will continue to issue Penalty Charge Notices to illegally parked vehicles with registration plates. "We have visited the dealership and made them aware of our serious concerns," Taylor said. "We are also working with the Police and Hertfordshire Highways to see what more can be done to stop unregistered vehicles being parked where they shouldn't be, as this falls outside of our parking enforcement team's jurisdiction."
Endeavour Automotive Group, which operates the dealership, acknowledged the concerns and stated they are taking the matters seriously. "As vehicle volumes increase at certain times of the year, we recognise the impact that parking can have on local residents, pedestrians and surrounding public spaces," a spokesperson for the group said. The company has secured additional compound space to alleviate pressure and reduce the need for vehicles to be parked on surrounding roads, aiming to keep pathways clear and accessible.
Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed they are working with Watford Borough Council, the dealership, and other partners to resolve the issues, appreciating the frustration caused to residents regarding accessibility, road safety, and disruption.