The removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles is dealt with by our Environmental Crime Team under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act and subsidiary legislation. They will investigate and secure removal of the offending vehicle when appropriate.
Indications that a vehicle may be abandoned may include a vehicle that has been stationary for a considerable period or a vehicle in a dangerous or unsecured condition such as burnt out vehicles.
Please note that it's not always clear if a vehicle has been abandoned and the team will look to assess all factors during an enquiry.
Matters to be considered:
- If the owner can be identified from enquiries and lives nearby the vehicle will not be considered abandoned
- untaxed, no valid MOT or no valid insurance does not mean the vehicle is classed as abandoned and can be removed by our service. In these circumstances this should be reported to Police or DVLA for investigation
- vehicles that are poorly parked (including parking disputes), causing an obstruction or broken down are not necessarily abandoned and these matters cannot be addressed by this service. Only the police have the power to immediately tow any vehicle left in a position causing a danger or obstruction
- if there is value in the vehicle, including in the form of a valid MOT or partial tax payment the vehicle may not be considered abandoned
If you suspect a vehicle may be abandoned, or a vehicle has been abandoned on your land without your authority you can report this using our abandoned vehicle online form or use contact details below.
We'll need to know:
- registration number (if known)
- vehicle make, colour (if known)
- location
- your details if you would like an update on the enquiry
If we do deem a vehicle to be abandoned the process of assessment and removal can take considerable time.
Information on pavement parking restrictions can be found at Ayrshire Roads Alliance: Pavement parking