Ealing (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ealing is one of the worst-hit London boroughs for abandoned vehicles, with FOI data revealing growing strain on outer boroughs amid enforcement challenges.
Ealing received 2,009 reports of abandoned automobiles in 2024, which was the second-highest number in London. This suggests that the outer boroughs are being affected by this issue.
With 2,473 reports, Redbridge takes the unwelcome top spot, while Ealing is only behind Sutton with 1,962. Merton, Barnet, and Bromley are among the other boroughs in the top 10.
The results, which were gathered by Scrap Car Comparison, also show some significant rises over prior years.
In its FOI request, the company asked:
“We are conducting research in relation to the number of cars that are abandoned per year, and wondered if you hold the following data please: The number of vehicles reported as abandoned within your area, broken down by month across the last year (from January 2024 to January 2025).
If possible, please also include the make and model and registration year of any of these abandoned vehicles.”
The number of reported occurrences in Ealing increased by 89% when compared to the 2022–2023 study, which recorded only 1,063 abandoned cars.
Lambeth topped the rise records with a staggering 600% increase from 32 in 2023 to 224 in 2024, while Sutton had a 266% increase from 536.
Many reported cars are either badly parked or have valid MOT and tax but are not actually abandoned. The workload of council personnel is increased by the need for rigorous inquiry into this distinction.
Matt Clamp, customer service manager at Scrap Car Comparison said:
“Abandoned cars don’t just cause inconvenience by taking up space on roads, paths or parking bays – they can pose serious environmental risks. Leaking fluids may pollute soil and water, and deteriorating materials can release harmful toxins into the air.”
He added:
“Some abandoned vehicles may be linked to more suspicious circumstances, which is why it’s important to report any suspected cases to your local council.”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, an Ealing Council spokesperson offered clarification on the figures:
The actual number of abandoned vehicles reported by the service in the calendar year of 2023 is 1,641. The data reported in the FOI is the number of service requests received by people who chose ‘abandoned vehicle’ as the category for their request, and this is not verified by council staff as we don’t retain this information.
The spokesperson also highlighted that not all reports categorised as abandoned vehicles reflect true cases.
Before reporting a car, Ealing Council advises locals to make sure it is truly abandoned by checking for indicators including deflated tires, missing wheels, garbage, rust, accident damage, and missing license plates.
The Ealing Council wants to cut down on the amount of time it takes to remove untaxed and abandoned vehicles.
They said that it should be noted that abandoned bicycles, lime bikes, shopping trolleys, inconveniently located vehicles and illegally parked vehicles are frequently reported as abandoned vehicles, making the total number of abandoned vehicles appear much higher than it actually is.
According to the council, the difference between the 2023 and 2024 figures is an increase of 360 reports. However, they attribute this rise not to a spike in actual cases, but to increased public reporting activity:
The council attributes the increase to more people reporting things to the council. However, there has not been a change in the quality of the reporting as people are still reporting illegal parking as abandoned vehicles and vice versa.
The council assured residents that when a vehicle is genuinely abandoned, action is taken. The spokesperson said that if a car is truly abandoned, the council will tow and scrap it. Typically, a lot of vehicles are no longer in the same place when an investigator attends after it has been reported.
A registered keeper can give an explanation to the council as to why they haven’t moved the car in a while and agree to move the car, tax it, have it fixed or address whatever issue has meant it has been stationary for a long time.
Alternatively, the council may pass the car along to Parking Enforcement who can issue a PCN, and the owner may move the car as a result.
What measures are being taken to prevent abandoned cars from being left in Ealing?
In order to remove unlawfully parked or abandoned vehicles, especially those with missing registration plates or considerable damage, the council works with the police to conduct nighttime operations. The purpose of this is to stop garages from unlawfully keeping cars on public roads.
When examining reported cars, Ealing Council looks for indications of abandonment, such as flat tires, rust, or vegetation growth, as well as the vehicle’s tax status, MOT, and general condition.
When an automobile is suspected of being abandoned, the council gets in touch with the registered owner to give them a chance to move the vehicle, pay taxes on it, or provide an explanation for why it hasn’t been moved.
Through the council’s website, locals can report suspected abandoned cars by entering information about the car, including its location, make, model, registration number, color, and any indications of wear and tear.