A FED-UP business owner says he has been “left to work from a vehicle dump” after complaining to a council about abandoned cars and caravans blocking a busy road.

David Sanders-Smith, owner of Result Clothing, based in Colchester, has been frustrated in his attempts to clear Commerce Way, in Whitehall Industrial Estate.

The road is frequently blocked by “wrecked” cars and vehicles.

“It is now getting dangerous,” said Mr Sanders-Smith

“A parcel post truck lost its wing mirrors yesterday while trying to navigate its way past all the abandoned vehicles.

“When I try telephoning the council, the phones don’t get answered.”

Mr Sanders-Smith said running a business from the site had become difficult, with access points to the firm’s five warehouses often blocked off.

“This is a busy commercial estate that is being turned into a dump,” he said.

“We are trying to run businesses in this road.

“We have five warehouses employing 60 staff.

“The road is being blocked by wrecked cars, an old Halfords trailer without any registration plates, a caravan with broken windows.

“We pay a huge amount through rates every year, but are left to work from a vehicle dump, with our accesses often blocked.”

A spokesman for North Essex Parking Partnership said: “While there are some double yellow lines along Commerce Way, much of the road isn’t covered by parking restrictions.

“Unless vehicles are parked where restrictions apply, we are unable to enforce and this also applies to trailers and caravans not attached to a vehicle and without their own vehicle registration number.

“We regularly patrols the area and issue penalty charge notices when contraventions are witnessed.”

A Colchester Council spokesman added: “Cars are regularly abandoned across the borough and the council has a duty to remove them.

“Whenever possible we issue a £200 fixed penalty notice to owners of abandoned vehicles, as well as providing information on our website.”