Shopkeepers in East Barnet have blasted Barnet Council over its policy on abandoned vehicles after it took them almost a month to remove a lorry which was parked in a dangerous position. The lorry, which was left outside the bus stop on Cat Hill, had been a danger to elderly residents according to nearby businesses.

Malcolm Salaver, of Malcolm's Hair Fashions, Cat Hill, is furious with the council.

He said: "The van had been outside the bus stop for more than three-and-a-half weeks and it was a danger. We have a lot of elderly people who use the bus stop and who come into the shops and some of them could not even get on the buses."

Mr Salaver said he and other shopkeepers in Cat Hill had phoned the council on many occasions to get the van removed but their complaints fell on deaf ears.

Mr Salaver added: "I spoke to the traffic warden and he said he couldn't do anything about it and it is up to the police and the council."

Cabinet member for environment, Councillor Geof Cooke, said: "On this occasion it has taken us longer than we would have liked to get this lorry off the streets and we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused residents.

"We are currently looking into the reasons for the delay in an effort to make sure this doesn't happen again."

November 21, 2001 19:06