Wealden: Pioneering scheme to rid landscape of dumped cars

WEALDEN Council is pioneering a new scheme aimed at clearing unsightly abandoned vehicles in record time.

The council has linked up with Sussex Police and has been granted access to the its national computer.

Details of the vehicle s registered keeper can be obtained two weeks quicker than at present, enabling the eyesore to be cleared up at twice the speed.

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Since January, nearly 400 dumped vehicles have been cleared by the council double last year. It could cost the taxpayer a massive 48,000 this year.

The council is determined to recover that cost from those who dumped the vehicles.

Cllr Teresa Blaxland, the chairman of Wealden s environment committee, said: This protocol with Sussex Police will have a significant impact on our ability to deal with abandoned vehicles. We are always looking at ways in which we can recover our costs from the offenders.

A district-wide community safety strategy identified abandoned vehicles as an element of car crime. The strategy wants to see an end to a problem which blights the Sussex landscape.

A drop in scrap metal values, increased MOT standards and increasing regulation of scrap yards could be attributed to the sharp rise in dumped vehicles.

Published: 14.6.01 Sussex Newspaper Ltd