ABANDONED CARS
Is it dumped?
Cars dumped on
the borough’s
streets are unsightly
and inconvenient
for residents – but,
surprisingly, only a small
percentage of the vehicles
reported to the council
are found to be genuinely
abandoned. Dan Stephens reports.
I
n fact, last year, very few of the cars reported to the council’s
specialist service were actually found to be abandoned
and were taken away to be crushed. Often the cars in
question were just poorly parked and many could not even
be located by investigators, meaning they had probably been
driven away by their owners.
Ealing Council is asking residents to only report a car as
abandoned as a last resort – when they are sure it has been
dumped. Look out for signs such as deflated tyres or missing
wheels, litter built up around it, rust, accident damage, missing
number plates, and whether it has been stationary for a long time.
A car is not deemed abandoned if it is parked legally on the road,
is not breaking any traffic laws, has valid tax, is in good condition or
is not causing an obstruction.
Councillor Mik Sabiers, the council’s cabinet member for
environment and highways,
said: “We will endeavour
to remove dangerous and
unsightly vehicles left behind
by owners – but we are also
asking local people to be
sure that a car is genuinely
abandoned before they
report it to us.”
Is it abandoned?
Here is a handy set of questions to help
determine what action to take if you see a car
that may be abandoned.
Is it taxed?
Tax disks are no longer used for vehicles so you can
visit www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax and enter the
vehicle registration to check. The council does not
collect untaxed cars so these should be reported to
the DVLA by calling 0300 790 6802 or via website.
Is it dangerous?
If a vehicle is dangerously parked, causing an
obstruction or is a hazard to other road users, it
should be reported to the police – by calling 101.
Is it parked illegally?
Vehicles parked illegally should be
reported to the council via email at
[email protected]
If, after these checks, you are sure a vehicle is
abandoned, you should report it to the council online
at www.ealing.gov.uk/reportit so officers can double
check it and also make sure nobody wants to claim it.
around ealing October 2018
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