IMPROVEMENTS could be made to notices in Cirencester’s Market Place warning people not to park overnight the day before a market is held, according to the head of the town council.

Andrew Tubb, chief executive of Cirencester Town Council, said that it will “review how local information about the parking arrangements can be improved”.

Mr Tubb made the announcement after a disgruntled motorist complained that a lack of signage in the Market Place lead to his partner’s car being towed 15miles away to Swindon.

Duncan Michael-MacGregor, of West Market Place, claims the car was towed after being parked in the market in the early evening of Thursday, February 20.

“I was aware that markets take place in the Market Square on some days so we checked for signs to make sure it would be OK to leave the car there overnight,” he said.

“Seeing no signs displayed, warning of a market the next day, we proceeded to park.”

The next morning the couple realised that the Friday market had been set up and that the car was nowhere to be seen.

Mr Michael-MacGregor, who has been living in Cirencester for over a year, said he had never received any information about the town’s market days.

“I pay my council tax like everyone else. I have even paid for a car parking permit. If there had been a visible sign, I would, of course, not have parked in the Market Place,” he said.

There is currently a notice on the two parking meters in the Market Place warning motorists not to park overnight on market days.

Mr Tubb said: “The sign on the parking meters clearly states that there is no overnight parking on Thursdays and Sundays and that all vehicles parked after 5am on a Monday and Friday will be removed at the owner’s expense.

“Before any vehicle is towed, we contact Gloucestershire Police which in turn seeks to make contact with the owner to ask for the vehicle to be moved before the need to tow.”

He also said that the Monday and Friday market is a regular feature in Cirencester dating back to 1086.