In Medway, it’s our responsibility to remove abandoned vehicles from roads and land in the open air. This applies to private land and private roads too.
If someone abandons a vehicle or parts of a vehicle on roads or land in the open air in Medway, they can be issued with a fixed penalty notice or prosecuted by us.
Before you report an abandoned vehicle
Check if the vehicle is taxed
You should find out if the vehicle is taxed or not by checking on the DVLA website.
If the vehicle is untaxed (for in excess of 2 months) and parked on a public road, you can report it to the DVLA. The DVLA is the only authority with the powers to remove untaxed vehicles from the public highway.
Report an untaxed vehicle to DVLA
If the vehicle is taxed, it would not generally be considered to be abandoned.
Check if the vehicle is SORN
A SORN vehicle should not be left on the public road.
The DVLA is the only authority with the powers to remove a SORN vehicle on a public road. If the vehicle is SORN and parked on the public highway, it should be reported to DVLA.
Taxed vehicle in possible road traffic accident or collision
A taxed vehicle that appears to have been involved in a road traffic accident or collision would not generally be considered to be abandoned.
The owner would be expected to take action to get the vehicle removed.
If you believe a vehicle has been abandoned
Vehicle is owned
If you believe the vehicle is in an abandoned state but is owned by a local resident, no action can be taken by us because the vehicle is ‘owned’.
If the vehicle is parked on a public road where there are no parking restrictions, no action can be taken as the vehicle is ‘owned’ and not parked in contravention.
Report an abandoned vehicle
To report an abandoned vehicle to us, you will need to use our online form.
You’ll need to tell us:
- the vehicle make, model and number plate
- the vehicle’s location
- how long the vehicle has been at the location
- your details, including name and contact information.
You can also report an abandoned vehicle to us by calling 01634 333 333.
What happens next
We'll investigate and inspect the vehicle that has been reported.
If we believe it’s been abandoned, a notice will be placed on the vehicle to advise that it will be removed. The vehicle will then be removed if no contact is received.
We cannot remove vehicles from private land without the permission of the landowner.