Abandoned vehicles

How to report abandoned vehicles

Is the vehicle causing an obstruction on a road? Is it in a dangerous position or condition?

Then call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999.

Otherwise to report an abandoned vehicle, please go to the Sussex Police website. You will be re-directed to the Operation Crackdown website where you will be able to enter the details of the vehicle and its location on a public reporting form. The form should take only a few minutes to complete. The more information you can provide, the quicker the proceedings can begin to deal with the vehicle.

If you don't have access to the internet then please report the vehicle by telephone to your district or borough council on the following numbers:

Supporting document

• Operation Crackdown Leaflet (PDF, 2 pages 1.8MB)
  
  

What are West Sussex authorities doing about abandoned vehicles?

The County Council, the district and borough councils and Sussex Police have formed a partnership called Operation Crackdown for reporting and swiftly dealing with abandoned vehicles in West Sussex. Furthermore, a county wide contract for the removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles has been procured with SRC Recycling Ltd. This contract is already producing the benefits of a "one stop shop" especially with regards to driving down costs.

What is an abandoned vehicle?

Vehicles are classed as abandoned when:

• they have not been moved for a long time;
• the Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) has expired; and
• its condition indicates to a Police Constable that it is abandoned.

It should be noted that although a vehicle appears abandoned, there are various checks to be carried out to ensure that it hasn't simply broken down and that it is of no interest to Sussex Police. Once classed as abandoned, the removal process tends to take 3 days or so.

The dangers of burnt out vehicles

Be aware...

Burnt out vehicles can be dangerous due to the residue of dangerous chemicals arising from a fire. Please keep clear of such vehicles and report them as soon as possible. You can report them to the Sussex Police.

How to prevent a vehicle from being mistaken as abandoned

• On the highway. If you wish to park your vehicle on the highway, you must display a valid Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) disc, even if you are not using the vehicle. This will normally ensure that inspectors do not class a vehicle as abandoned.

• On private land. You must obtain the landowner's permission. You should then complete the Driver and Vehicles Licensing Agency's Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) statement and return it to them. Further details of this procedure can be obtained from the DVLA website.