Number of cars abandoned increases 6 fold in 4 years

BRITAIN is becoming a scrapyard for abandoned cars, as new research reveals the number of vehicles being dumped on the road side has increased 6 fold in 4 years.

New data, obtained by Confused.com through Freedom of Information requests to Britain's 436 local authorities, reveals a whopping 31,812 abandoned cars were removed by Councils in 2016 and 2017; that's 1 car every 30 minutes. And to visualise the epidemic, the driver savings site has created an interactive scrapyard map which identifies the most prolific regions for drivers ditching their cars. Users can also use the map to see how the problem has worsened in their area, with the number of cars being abandoned across the UK going up by a whopping 577% in just 4 years (2012 to 2016).

And frustratingly, these nuisance vehicles come at a price to the tax payer, as local authorities fork out hundreds of thousands of pounds each year clearing roads of abandoned cars. In fact, Councils spent ₤933,379 in 2016 and 2017 alone. And this bill is barely paid by the ₤115,610 issued to drivers in fines. Over the 2 years, Councils were also responsible for destroying 20,551 of the seized vehicles, which likely added to the expense.

The proliferation of the problem has not gone unnoticed by the public, with 261,724 reports of abandoned vehicles filed in 2016 and 2017, which lead to the 31,812 being removed by local Councils. In fact, 3 in 5 (60%) UK drivers say they find them a nuisance and make the streets look run down (60%). And it seems drivers are most likely to spot abandoned cars in more rural areas, with almost a quarter (23%) saying they have come across one on the side of a B-road. It's no wonder motorists are outraged at the problem as one 5 (20%) have also seen them clogging up their own residential area. For drivers who have seen an abandoned vehicle, but not known what they can do about it, Confused.com has created a new:- 'Report an abandoned car' tool. This enables drivers to search for their local Council and directs them straight to the dedicated webpage for reporting an abandoned vehicle.

As the data proves, Councils have been inundated with reports of abandoned cars in recent years. And Confused.com's scrapyard map shows that some regions have seen the worst of the issue. In fact, Councils in the South East received the highest number of reports and removed the most unwanted vehicles throughout 2016 and 2017. Local authorities in the region removed a total of 6,264 vehicles, from 61,268 reports, costing them ₤128,078 in total. However, the scrapheap of abandoned vehicles has piled up in the East of England at a higher rate than any other region. The number of these unwanted cars removed by Councils in the region in 2016 was 11 times higher than it was in 2012, equivalent to a rise of 1,087%. The interactive map also reveals Coventry, in the West Midlands, to be the number 1 scrapyard capital of Britain, with the local Council removing more vehicles than any other in 2016 and 2017 (2,321).

The research seems to suggest affordability is very much to blame for drivers abandoning their cars, as almost a quarter (23%) think motoring costs have become unaffordable. And like James Corden in the latest Confused.com ad, many are facing eye watering repair costs. In fact, most drivers who have abandoned their car did so because it had broken down and they were unable to afford to have it towed (30%). But 1  in 15 (7%) could no longer afford to run their vehicle at all. This could explain why almost 1 in 6 (16%) drivers who have abandoned their vehicles did so for an average of 3 weeks, suggesting they were waiting until they could afford to move it. Others (6%) were concerned about being fined for driving the car without tax; which could cost them as much as ₤1,000 or 5 times the annual road tax fee. However, abandoning a vehicle can have its own financial consequences, as 1 in 15 (7%) drivers who have ditched their car received a fine, costing them ₤132 on average.

To try and address the problem of abandoned vehicles clogging up Britain's roads and car parks, garages and manufacturers have put in place scrappage schemes to help relieve drivers of their old or unwanted cars sustainably. But, only 1 in 8 (13%) motorists have used 1 of these schemes. Drivers using these schemes can be entitled to cashback if their vehicle meets a certain criteria, which is both easier and potentially more financially rewarding than selling a car privately. And with the rising costs of car insurance, fuel and servicing and repair costs, a bit of extra cash could certainly come in handy.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, says:- "The rising cost of fuel, car insurance and tax is overwhelming some motorists, causing some of them to ditch their vehicles when they breakdown. Our interactive map shows just how much of an issue this has become across Britain, as Councils spend hundreds of thousands of pounds every year removing unwanted cars from the roadside.  Abandoned vehicles are an eye sore and a nuisance. Drivers who suspect a car has been dumped in their area should use Confused.com's search tool to contact their local Council, who will get in touch with the owner, or remove it. Sadly, 1 of the reasons so many drivers are abandoning their vehicles is due to the rising cost of owning a car, especially car insurance which is now ₤827 on average. To save money motorists should shop around online using Confused.com, where they are guaranteed to beat their car insurance renewal price."

Masterchef winner Anton Piotrowski inspires students

HUGH Baird College's L20 Hotel School welcomed 2012 'Masterchef - The Professionals' winner Anton Piotrowski and his team from Liverpool's Röski Restaurant to their L20 Restaurant to work alongside students to produce a stunning menu for 60 guests.

Chef Piotrowski began his career at aged 14 working under some of the South West's most renowned chefs before moving to London where he spent the 7 years working with some of the greatest culinary chefs at the time. In 2013 he gained a Michelin star at the Treby Arms in Devon.

Anton and his team worked alongside L20 Hotel School students to prepare and serve a 5 course taster menu which included:- Israeli cauliflower with parmesan custard and tuille, scallop on a curried parsnip puree with ants, maple glazed duck breast with almond crumbs, blueberry curd and satsuma meringue and to finish, a white chocolate custard, forced rhubarb and builder's team ice cream.

L20 Hotel Student Leah Jones said:- "To get the opportunity to work alongside Chef Piotrowski and his team from Röski was an incredible experience and to hear his experience of gaining a Michelin star was really inspiring. We all learnt so much and prepping ants was a first for me!"

Anton Piotrowski said:- "It was great to see the students getting involved, they are the future of this industry and we have to look after them as much as we can. They asked lots of questions and I was really impressed with their commitment and appetite to learn new skills. At Röski Restaurant, we hope to give diners the best experience they can have and with the culinary talent I've seen at L20 Hotel School today, I'd be happy to have any of the students on- board with us to continue this."

To find out more about our L20 Hotel School Hospitality and Catering courses, visit:- Hughbaird.AC.UK. To find out more about Röski Restaurant, visit:- RoskiRestaurant.com.