A Milton Keynes resident has been left with a bill of £1,332 in fines and costs for illegally dumping a car on a street in Conniburrow.
Milton Keynes City Council took action when the woman abandoned her car in August 2023.
On 22 July, Magistrates at Milton Keynes heard that the abandoned car was also untaxed and had no MOT. MK City Council’s Environment Crime Unit had placed a notice on the car to warn the owner, but this was ignored and the car was later removed. Investigations revealed that the owner had failed to notify DVLA of a change of address. Still, officers located her, and she was summoned to court for abandoning her motor vehicle.
In court, the woman was found guilty of abandoning a car and was fined £250, ordered to pay £782 in compensation, pay the city council’s legal costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £100.
Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, Councillor Jennifer Wilson-Marklew said, "Vehicles left abandoned in our neighbourhoods are unsightly and can attract more antisocial behaviour. You can’t just leave things you don’t want on our streets and hope no one will take action against you. We will act and prosecute."
The city council deals with around 2,000 reports of abandoned vehicles each year, incurring costs for removal, storage and disposal which could be better spent elsewhere.
