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Trucks towed from garden 'truck park'
Page 21
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A HAULIER WHO parked his trucks in his front garden after his firm went bust has had them towed away by the local council — which says he can collect them free as soon as he has found legal parking.
John Keeping, who ran Keeping's Transport, had kept two tractor units, a 7.5-tonner and two 3.5tonners in his garden in Swindon Road, Swindon. since 2003.
His firm went under after secretary Margaret Cross fleeced it of £164,000 in fraudulent cheques; she was jailed for four months but has been declared bankrupt so it is unlikely Keeping will get the money he is owed.
Swindon Borough Council has not confiscated the vehicles,but has parked them in one of its depots because it says Keeping would need planning permission to use his front garden as a truck park. Local residents had complained to the council about them.
The council says it will park the vehicles free of charge for six months and that Keeping may collect them when he finds somewhere legal to keepthem:"We have a great deal of sympathy for the circumstances Mr Keeping is in, and we've tried hard to reach an agreement with him over the past three years. Unfortunately we've been unable to resolve matters and we had to take action.
Keeping could not be contacted for comment but he has had some had luck in recent years. As well as the money stolen by Cross, he had a truck impounded by Vosa because of his lack of financial standing (CM 2 Sep 2004). Keeping's 0-licence was also revoked.