Abandoned Cars

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Oct 2002

The council is reported to be preparing a charge on owners of abandoned cars that the council has to remove.

MP Vincent Cable, who has warned of a coming glut of abandoned cars as a new recycling directive will oblige last owners to pay for recycling costs, said: "in principle, people should pay for the cost to council tax payers of disposing of abandoned cars."

"But I think there is a risk here of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing. The council has to co-operate with the DVLC which is pursing unpaid taxes, rather than working independently of it."

"There is a danger that faced with tax bills and charges for disposal, ownership will no longer be registered and the council will be left with more cars whose ownership cannot be taxed."

"If it refuses to remove cars because it cannot find anyone to charge, the cars will be vandalised and torched leaving the bill - an estimated £5 to £10,000 per car - to the police and the fire brigade."

"The council's charge may therefore be totally counter productive unless it is introduced in a carefully co-ordinated way with the support of the police and the DVLA".

"I believe that the car industry has to take responsibility for the disposal costs in the form of a small levy on new cars which can then create a fund for financing recycling and disposal."

"Leaving local councils to pick up the bill or leaving the police and fire service to clear up dangerous vehicles is anti social and shortsighted".