FOI request (FOIR-724263328)

Abandoned Vehicles (2022–2024)

Requested Thu 19 June 2025
Responded Wed 30 July 2025

I am submitting a Freedom of Information request regarding abandoned vehicles within your local authority area since 2022.

1. Abandoned Vehicles

a. For 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of abandoned vehicles reported to your local authority.

b. For 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of these vehicles retrieved by the owner.

c. For 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of vehicles deemed as abandoned. That is, vehicles only fit to be destroyed, having no number plates, owner cannot be found or fails to comply with a notice to collect the vehicle.

2. Outcomes for Abandoned Vehicles

a. For 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of abandoned vehicles disposed of/scrapped by the council.

b. For 2022, 2023 and 2024, the number of abandoned vehicles sold/auctioned by the council.

3. Including all abandoned vehicles that were sold/auctioned in 2024, what was the highest sale/auction price achieved for an abandoned vehicle?

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Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

1a. Number of Abandoned Vehicles Reported:

2022 - 716

2023 - 832

2024 - 900

1b. Number of these vehicles retrieved by the owner

Information not held.

In the 3 years requested, only 1 car out of those removed was claimed from the recovery agent by the owner.

1c. Number of vehicles deemed as abandoned.

The data below is the number of vehicles investigated as abandoned and subsequently removed.

2022 - 22

2023 - 19

2024 - 22

2. Outcomes for Abandoned Vehicles

Information not held. The disposal of abandoned vehicles is an issue for the County Council. Districts and Boroughs investigate as a statutory duty and remove the cars but disposal is an East Sussex County Council (ESCC) function. For the 3 years requested, abandoned vehicles have been part of Operation Crackdown, and the recovery and disposal contract is managed by ESCC via a Police framework. As part of the agreement the recovery agent has been able to sell and auction the vehicles if they have some form of value to pay for the service. ESCC pay the disposal costs when vehicles are scrapped. Therefore Hastings Borough Council does not sell any of the vehicles.

3. Information not held.