Breckland council target abandoned vehicles
One owner has been fined £200
Last updated 9th Mar 2021
Breckland Council officers are running a new campaign to target vehicles which have been abandoned in the community. The latest investigation has seen a resident in Thetford fined £200 for abandoning a vehicle at Breckland Leisure Centre since September 2020.
The vehicle owner had failed to respond to written correspondence from Breckland Council, however after a quick investigation Enforcement Officers tracked down the owner to a second address and removed the abandoned vehicle from the car park. The car owner has now subsequently been issued with a fixed penalty notice of £200. This penalty was issued under legislation including the Refuse
Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 and Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. The fine is the maximum that legislation allows and is the first time that Breckland Council has issued a penalty for abandoned vehicles.
Cllr Gordon Bambridge, Executive Member for Environmental and Public Protection at Breckland Council commented:
"A small minority of car owners need to be more considerate about the impact they are having on local residents leaving vehicles, often in a broken down state, in areas where parking is a premium or in constant use. Over the coming months we will be targeting more vehicles that have been abandoned and using our full powers to ensure they are removed swiftly, and fine those responsible for blighting our community."
If you know of an abandoned vehicle in Breckland, please report it online.