TIM DREW: Residents urged to report abandoned cars

In a recent check, two large vehicles were noted as parking on the pavement so as to block off access by pedestrians completely, and several others had evidently been left in Dale Road for some time. One of these seemed to have been used exclusively for storage, with the driver’s compartment completely filled up.

In Meadow Road, where a 7.5-tonne restriction is in place, a number of vehicles were found which exceeded this weight.

Vehicles which would appear to have been abandoned can be reported by anyone via Operation Crackdown on the Sussex Police website, but it is important that as many residents as possible – particularly NHW members – pursue and report suspicions.

Bear in mind that if one legal obligation is being flouted, it is quite likely that others are, too; the number of untaxed vehicles on UK roads reached almost 700,000 last year, and the vehicle may not be insured, either.

Remember however that you need to check whether a vehicle has been taxed before reporting it, which you can do free of charge. Only report a vehicle that is either untaxed or registered as Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) and parked on a public road.

If you suspect that a vehicle is not insured, you can run an online check on the Motor Insurance Database, which holds a central record of all insured vehicles in the UK. To report an uninsured vehicle, contact Sussex Police on 101 or via email; alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

The Tarring NHW & Community Forum will meet on Tuesday (April 10) at the West Worthing Baptist Church Centre, South Street, Tarring, at 7pm.

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