Portsmouth is amongst one of the worst places for reports of car abandonment in the UK

Scrap Car Comparison found that Portsmouth had reports of 3,608 cars in the city that had possibly been abandoned from January 2020 and December 2022 in data which was obtained through freedom of information requests. Portsmouth City Council confirmed that from 2022 to 2023 the total vehicles reported was 1,118, but only 10 per cent of those were actually abandoned.

A spokesperson for the Portsmouth City Council said: ‘When we receive a report of an abandoned vehicle, this is investigated by our vehicle removal officers. Many vehicles are not abandoned and may just have expired vehicle road tax, mot, or insurance.

‘A response is given to everyone reporting an abandoned vehicle including giving them details of the correct enforcement agency if the vehicle is not abandoned.’

SEE ALSO: Andy Pandy Pre-school in Portchester is going to be closing its doors this summer

Kevin Mckee, parking manager, Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘We work to reduce the number of abandoned vehicles in Portsmouth with quick investigations and removal if required. It is an offence to abandon a vehicle, or part of a vehicle, on a highway or on any land in the open air and people doing can face a fixed penalty charge notice or prosecution. Anyone concerned about a vehicle can report it via the council website.’

The comparison company found that Bradford was one of the worst places in the UK for reports of abandoned cars with 7,625 reports, although of that number it is unknown how many cars were actually abandoned and how many were untaxed, without an mot or insurance.