Councils win local legislation to act against rogue street traders

Two councils have won their bids for new legislation to crack down on illegal pedlars, after the Manchester City Council Act and the Bournemouth Borough Council Act received royal assent on 8 April 2010.

Under the new legislation, only legitimate pedlars with a trading certificate will be able to trade door-to-door and will not be able to remain stationary for more than five minutes. The new laws also ban pedlars operating within 50 metres of each other, in order to stop street traders from congregating in one area and causing obstruction. The two councils now have the power to seize the goods of street traders who are found to be operating illegally.

“By having more powers to control street pedlars in the town this will help us to protect established traders and to reduce the risk to our local shoppers from traders operating illegally,” Bournemouth's Cabinet Member for Community David Smith said.

The new laws arose from council concerns that street traders were flouting previous guidelines, often trading in fixed locations and selling counterfeit, substandard and potentially dangerous goods to the risk of the consumer. The bills were passed following lengthy campaigns by both councils.

Vicky Rosin, Manchester City Council's director of neighbourhood services, said: "This result means we have crossed a major hurdle, after a long campaign to get this through Parliament.”

Leeds, Nottingham, Reading and Canterbury are also currently pursuing similar legislation.