The States of Guernsey are going to be asked to make it illegal to sell a vehicle from one of Guernsey's public car parks after a 'friendly signs' initiative failed to work.
The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure, which is responsible for the up keep of coastal car parks, will ask the States to "agree the drafting of new legislation that will make it an offence to park vehicles marketed for sale in public car parks."
This follows an initiative launched last year to encourage people not to sell their vehicles in coastal car parks, using signs in an attempt to appeal for public support in reducing the number of vehicles being sold this way.
The Committee said it has now "somewhat reluctantly concluded that making it an offence to sell vehicles from these publicly-owned and States of Guernsey-administered areas is the only way to restrict the actions of a minority."
The temporary signs were put up last year at popular locations such as Vazon and Cobo and Express was told they did reduce the number of vehicles being sold, with some sellers "embracing the variety of other ways vehicles can be marketed," however, a few "anti-social individuals have continued to use coastal car parks intended for leisure activities to sell vehicles."
Deputy Mark Dorey, Vice-President of Environment & Infrastructure said:
"The Committee was clear when launching its initiative in November that’s its preference was for the community to rally together and make it clear to these sellers that using picturesque coastal car parks as some kind of make-shift forecourt is not acceptable. However, we also said that the option of introducing parking controls would remain should this practice continue.
"The Committee has reached a point where it feels it has no other alternative than to legislate against this practice. Guernsey is a beautiful island with stunning coastline and it is deeply unfortunate that a few anti-social individuals are spoiling that appearance for their own personal gain.
"Creating a law is not a quick process as new legislation requires the approval of the States of Deliberation and drafting must be aligned against many other priority areas."
Until any new legislation can be brought in to ban selling cars in public car parks, Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services will be applying for planning permission to fix permanent versions of the signs that have already started to discourage sales in coastal car parks.
Deputy Dorey said they also need peoples' help to stop the "inconsiderate behaviour".
"We again ask islanders to help by making it clear that this inconsiderate behaviour is not acceptable. They can do this by not buying vehicles advertised for sale from public car parks."
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