Abandoned vehicles

A vehicle is only abandoned when the authorised local authority officer decides that it has been left without lawful authority,(Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978).

How to tell whether a vehicle has been abandoned

• is it taxed?
• are the tyres flat?
• is litter piling up around it or weeds growing around vehicle indicating it has not been moved for some time?
• is windscreen/window broken?
• is there mould inside or outside the vehicle?
• is there waste in the car - tyres, old newspapers general rubbish?
• is the vehicle number plate missing?
• are there wires hanging from the dashboard?
• do local residents, businesses etc know how long the vehicle has been there?

You can report an abandoned vehicle in these ways

• download our online form
• phone 0800 180 4140 Gloucestershire Arson Task Force this is a 24 hour Freephone number
• phone 01453 754379 during normal office hours and speak to a member of our Community Safety Service or leave a message on our answer phone - available 24 hours a day

If you are reporting an abandoned vehicle please give the following information:

• registration number of vehicle - it is very important that this is correct
• make and model
• colour
• exact location
• is the vehicle taxed?
• condition of vehicle - good, smashed glass, wrecked, burnt out

All information is given in strict confidence and it would help our investigation if you could please provide:

• your full name
• your full address
• your contact details

You can use our FREE 'Take Back Scheme'. Download the application pack, complete the form and return it to Community Safety Service, Stroud District Council, Ebley Mill, Westward Road, Stroud, Glos GL5 4UB.
We will arrange for our contractors to contact you and remove your vehicle within 4 days of receipt of your completed application at Stroud District Council.

PDF  Take Back Scheme Application - 24/11/2006 : 68Kb

If the vehicle is considered to be abandoned we aim to remove the vehicle according to the following:

• 3 hours if the vehicle is considered to be in a dangerous condition
• 48 hours for intact vehicles
• 4 days for 'Take Back' vehicles

The Community Safety Officer for Vehicles will determine whether a vehicle is abandoned under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978. Abandoning a vehicle on any land in the open air or on any other land forming part of a highway is a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978.

It is punishable by a maximum fine of £2,500 and/or three months in prison. An abandoned vehicle, once it has reached the end of its useful life, can also be classified as 'hazardous waste', thus also making the action of abandoning such a vehicle an offence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

From 1 January 2004, under Section 146 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, the courts have the power to disqualify a defendant from holding a driving licence where he or she has committed a relevant offence ( a relevant offence meaning any offence committed after 31st December 1997). Disqualification can be instead of, or as well as, dealing with the defendant in another way.

Yes, please email us for more detals community.safety@stroud.gov.uk

Encams stands for Environmental Campaigns and is the environmental charity which runs the 'Keep Britain Tidy' campaign.

The 'Cleaner Safer Greener Communities: Removing Nuisance Vehicles' national strategy has now been launched. This sets out twelve actions Government will introduce over the next three years. These aim to reduce the number of abandoned vehicles by 25%.
Find our more details on the Cleaner Safer Greener Community Website