Plea for action over Taylor's Avenue '˜abandoned' cars

It follows complaints that upwards of 20 cars and vans parked along footpaths in the area are not taxed.

In a piece of video footage provided to the Carrick Times by a local ratepayer, the vehicles can be seen on the pavement with the registration plates clearly visible.

“These vehicles are being used and are parked on the public road,” the resident said.

“For health and safety reasons we would like to see some of them removed.”

East Antrim MLA Roy Beggs said a “multi-agency” response is needed to tackle the problem. “There needs to be a concerted effort by statutory agencies to identify and deal with untaxed vehicles,” he added.

Confirming that police in Carrick are “aware” of the issue, Inspector Martin Ruddy said: “We have been working with other statutory agencies, including the local council and the Housing Executive to address these concerns.

“In the main, illegal parking and abandoned vehicles are issues dealt with by agencies including the Department of Infrastructure and local councils; however, in our work to keep people safe where parking causes an obstruction and a danger to other users and public road safety, police can intervene.

“I would advise motorists to refrain from illegal parking as obstructive parking means other road users and pedestrians can be faced with unnecessary dangers, creating a greater risk of harm or injury to them and other road users.

“If police notice any illegal parking in the area, advice and warnings will be given to offenders to help promote community safety and reduce the number of possible casualties on our roads. If the problem persists, the use of fixed penalty notices and possible prosecution will be considered.

“I would ask anyone who believes that a car is obstructively parked to report it to Carrickfergus Police Station on the non-emergency number 101.”

Meanwhile, the Driver and Vehicle Agency offers a free online service allowing users to check if a vehicle is taxed by inputting its registration number.