Untaxed and abandoned vehicles seized in operation

Police and council officers have seized 21 vehicles as part of an operation targeting untaxed and nuisance vehicles in Bradford.

The council said the work took place in the Bowling and Barkerend Ward on 1 December and came after 11 cars were removed in a similar operation on 27 November.

Councils were given powers in 2023 to remove vehicles without valid tax or a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) parked on adopted and unadopted highways or open-air land such as supermarket car parks.

The authority said since the powers were granted, excluding the most recent operations, it had removed 573 vehicles and 27 abandoned caravans.

Vehicles which have been seized can be collected by their registered keeper, provided they can prove they have obtained tax for the vehicle or that the vehicle will be stored on private property off the road.

Uncollected vehicles can be crushed, the council said.

The council said of the 573 vehicles seized in total, 245 have been released to their owners, 65 remain in the pound, 253 have been crushed and 54 have been sold at auction.

Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, planning and transport said: "I'd like to thank our council officers, who with the support of West Yorkshire Police, have been working to remove these abandoned vehicles, which are a real nuisance and a blight on local communities.

"Please continue to report these untaxed and abandoned vehicles to us."

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