COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Residents say calls to remove it have been ignored



Neighbours say they are sick of the sight of an “eyesore” trailer which they say has been abandoned on their road for more than 14 years.

The hot-food trailer has sat on Bakewell Close in Binley for years despite repeated calls to Coventry City Council and housing association Citizen to remove it.

Residents say they have been told by the council that the land is owned by Citizen, yet Citizen have told them it is on land owned by the authority.

Other vehicles have also now been dumped on the road as a result, but residents say enough is enough and want something to be done.

Even a Google Street View from 2012 has the trailer pictured in the same position, although a vehicle that was attached to it has gone.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “It has been there so long and as a street we are sick of it.

“People have stopped reporting it now as nothing ever gets done.

“Over the years I have lost count of how many times I have contacted the council about it and so have the neighbours. Between the two of them they keep saying it is on the other’s land.

“It is being pushed from pillar to post and nobody is doing anything about it. It is just beyond a joke.

“It just looks like a bit of a dumping ground now.

“The council’s own website actually says if an abandoned vehicle is parked on a housing associations land they can take it away. I have sent this to them but it is still sat there. It is really frustrating.”

Ward councillor Ram Lakha said he was told the vehicle is not on council land, adding: “It is frustrating as it has been there for a while. It is an eyesore.”

The trailer, which advertises a company called Belly Busters, includes a phone number which went to a voicemail when the Local Democracy Reporting Service called.

Coventry City Council’s website states a vehicle is classed as abandoned if it has been left by the owner with no intention to recover or accept responsibility for it, and that the authority has “a duty to remove all abandoned vehicles, whether they are on private land or not”.

It adds: “Trailers and caravans that would normally be attached to a vehicle can also be classed as abandoned vehicles.”

‘Abandoned’ trailer moved after 14 years in Coventry street - but left five minutes away



An ‘eyesore’ food trailer left abandoned on a Coventry road for more than a decade has finally moved on – only to be shifted five minutes away.

The hot-food trailer was previously left on Bakewell Close in Binley for more than 14 years, causing endless complaints to the council and Citizen amid confusion over whose land it was on.

Coventry City Council eventually said last week that it was on their land and issued a notice on the vehicle as they attempted to track down its owners.

CoventryLive also tried to contact the hot-food company, Belly Busters, which the trailer advertises, although calls were diverted to a voicemail and we received no replies.

It was eventually moved on Sunday (August 15) – believed to be by the owners – but has now been parked up five minutes away on Tintagel Close in Willenhall on communal parking areas owned by Citizen.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Quite a few of the neighbours are in uproar about it as they have seen it in the Telegraph and now it is outside our doors.

“The last thing we want is for it to be there for 14 years or even 14 days to be honest.

“It is an eyesore. It has taken up the space of two cars when we are already struggling for spaces.”

Housing association Citizen said it has served notice on the caravan to move it from its land.

A Citizen spokesman said: “We have served notice on the caravan to ensure it is moved from Tintagel Close as soon as possible.

“We are committed to resolving this issue for our customers.”

A council spokesman added: “Following the serving of the formal notice by Coventry City Council, the owners appear to have moved the unit off the highway. Unfortunately, it appears they have moved the unit to Citizen land.

"Citizen have been made aware of this issue.”