Abandoned vehicles can be unsightly, dangerous and polluting to the environment. Abandoning a vehicle (e.g. car, caravan, trailer) is a crime incurring fines up to £2500 and can ruin the appearance of your neighbourhood or the countryside.
An abandoned vehicle can be identified by the following:
- are any of the tyres flat or have any of the wheels been removed
- is there litter or a lot of leaves under the vehicle – this may mean that it hasn't moved for some time
- is the windscreen or any of the windows broken
- does the vehicle have number plates, does the vehicle contain items of waste, such as tyres, old newspapers, or general rubbish, have any parts, like the bumper, seats or radio, which have been removed or damaged
- is there any graffiti on the vehicle? are there wires hanging from the dashboard because the vehicle has been 'hot-wired' (driven without keys by connecting ignition wires together)?
Ask your neighbours if they know who owns it but do not enter the vehicle. If you believe the vehicle to be abandoned report it to us giving clear details of:
- the location (e.g closest address or grid reference)
- the registration details (if known)
- a description of the vehicle (make, model, colour)
- how long the vehicle has been there (if known).
If the vehicle is genuinely abandoned, we have a duty to remove and safely dispose of it. This applies to any vehicle in the open air on both public and private land, with the landowner's permission. We work closely with the Police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to trace ownership of vehicles and will impose fines on people who abandon a vehicle.
Untaxed and illegally parked vehicles
We have no powers to deal with illegally parked vehicles or untaxed vehicles. You can report an untaxed vehicle through the Gov.uk website.
We do not deal with broken down or poorly parked vehicles or vehicles involved in residential parking disputes. The Police have powers to remove vehicles causing an obstruction to traffic or likely to cause a danger.
Disposing of your vehicle
If you need to dispose of your vehicle use an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF); a registered company who is licensed by the Environment Agency to deal with the correct and safe disposal of vehicles. The last registered keeper of the vehicle must be issued with a Certificate of Destruction which can only be issued by an Authorised Treatment Facility.
