One in four cars deemed unsafe

A quarter of second-hand cars inspected at independent dealerships in North Lanarkshire were classed as unsafe.

In a week-long operation, North Lanarkshire’s Trading Standards team and police officers visited 11 premises selling used cars, resulting in 14 vehicles being removed from sale.

Trading Standards manager Paul Bannister said: “I would take this opportunity to remind all secondhand car traders that they must not offer used cars for sale if they are in a condition which would render them unsafe for use on the public highway.

“We will continue to monitor the marketplace and pursue robust enforcement action where traders are found to be flouting the law at the risk of consumer safety.

“If repeated failures come to light, we will consider seizing dangerous second hand cars and pursuing their forfeiture through the courts.

“North Lanarkshire Trading Standards service is available to provide free, impartial advice and guidance to any retailer who is seeking assistance in complying with their legal obligations.”

Among the defects on the cars were tyres below the legal limit, defective seat belts and an insecure battery.

PC Susan Rae, of Police Scotland, said: “We will continue to support and work with our partners in tackling the issue of unsafe vehicles being sold through second-hand car dealerships.

“During this operation, officers carried out checks on a number of vehicles to ensure that the dealerships were adhering to the relevant license conditions.

“The risks have been clearly highlighted and our priority remains to ensure that the vehicles being offered for sale are safe to be used on public roads and that lives are not being put at risk.”