Britain becoming ‘massive abandoned car graveyard’ as repair costs soar

The number of abandoned vehicles reported to councils in the UK has surged by 34% in two years, with rising repair costs partly to blame, new figures suggest

A shocking 34% surge in abandoned motors over just two years has been partly attributed to soaring repair bills. Figures secured by Churchill Motor Insurance revealed that UK councils received 99,095 reports of dumped vehicles last year.

This marks an 18% jump from 84,299 in 2023, and a dramatic 34% leap from 73,738 in 2022. Motors lacking an MOT, road tax or insurance are banned from public roads.

Owners should complete a Statutory Off Road Notification (Sorn) declaring them off-road and store them on private land, regardless of whether they’re being driven, reports Chronicle Live.

Most vehicles ditched on public highways end up either scrapped or collected by their owners, with just a tiny fraction being sold. The average top selling price achieved by councils last year reached £1,068.

These statistics stem from analysis of information supplied by 160 out of 323 councils responding to Freedom of Information requests.

Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance, warned: “The number of abandoned vehicles is rising sharply, blighting our communities, taking up valuable parking spaces and straining council resources. There are many likely reasons behind the increase in abandoned vehicles.

“Higher repair costs can make fixing older vehicles uneconomical, and the cost of having a broken down vehicle towed away, combined with minimal value received for scrapping them, can reduce the incentive for some owners to dispose of cars correctly.

“In some cases, vehicles declared Sorn are later abandoned if circumstances change or owners decide repairs are not worthwhile. We urge all vehicle owners to act responsibly.”

Recent analysis by vehicle warranty provider Warrantywise found average repair costs for the UK’s 10 most popular used cars increased by 20% last year compared with 2023. RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: “While we know some drivers are struggling to keep up with the cost of running their vehicles, it’s very concerning that an increasing number see abandoning them as the only option.

“If it becomes impossible to keep a car running, it always makes sense to scrap it where there may be a chance of getting a few pounds in return. Leaving it abandoned on the street for others to deal with is never the right thing to do.”

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