Baytree Car Sales on the A151 at Moulton wants to work with farmers to address ‘soul destroying’ dirt issue

An owner of a car sales company whose forecourt vehicles are sprayed with dirt by agricultural traffic describes it as ‘soul destroying’ – and wants to find a resolution with local farmers.

Baytree Car Sales on High Road, Spalding is run by Lee Manuel – whose father ran the business for 30 years before he died – who is having to have cars washed more regularly.

Mr Manuel and his brother have taken on the company but have an ongoing issue with the cars being sprayed with dirt as agricultural vehicles pass.

He said: “Dad had the garage for 30 years odd years and passed away in the last year or so.

“When the fields are ploughed there are issues with thick dust and muck which makes the road mucky.

“It is inconvenient and I have reached out to farmers saying I know they’ve got a job to do and we have got a job to do.

“It is thick with dust and mess.”

Mr Manuel said that this has been an ongoing issue since the time his dad ran the business and wishes to resolve it by working together with local farmers.

He said: “I have spoken with whoever was on the land before and said I know you can’t stop – can we work together as you make our cars filthy when ploughing the fields and the machinery and tractors.

“We clean the cars off but it is soul destroying when we’ve had people in who don’t want to buy a car that’s filthy.

“We know it’s part and parcel of being there – but I don’t think it is unreasonable to give me a schedule when they are creating a mess so cars are not washed and we can plan to wash cars after.”

The businessman has mentioned two farming companies who plough the area and has spoken to the police – in particular the mess caused on Friday, September 15.

One farming company acknowledged to this paper that it had worked in the area on that date but ‘had only worked in the field opposite Baytree Car sales for two and a half days” and had ‘cleaned the road during our work and after we had finished’.

A second farming company confirmed in writing to Mr Manuel that they were not ploughing on that specific date.

Mr Manuel said: “This has been the worst it’s been for a few months – it is selfish – we end up having to deal with it all. I would love it to be resolved.”

Got a story? Email jenny.beake@iliffepublishing.co.uk