A unified approach to dealing with the growing problem of abandoned cars across Essex is being sought by county councillors.

At present practice varies from district to district, with some councils waiting seven to fifteen days before taking action, and others moving almost immediately.

Although is it the county council's responsibility to dispose of abandoned vehicles, it is the district councils which actually carry out the function.

Until recently they have funded the service by selling the dumped cars as scrap, but now, owing to the low cost of scrap metal, it is costing them money. It is reckoned it will cost Essex taxpayers around £1.6m next year alone.

Meeting to discuss the problem on Monday the county council's community safety forum heard the problem is growing at an alarming rate.

In Maldon the number of vehicles removed in 2000/01 was 657, compared with 212 two years' earlier. Chelmsford expects to move 1000 cars this year compared with 300 two years ago.

Community safety co-ordinator Daniel Grindey told the forum that there are all sorts of different local arrangements in place in Essex. Some councils give 15 days notice if a vehicle is abandoned on private land and seven if left on the public highway, but others arrange for immediate removal.

The county council's waste and capital projects section is looking into the situation to see if a county-wide approach can be adopted, he added.

Chairman Cllr Les Double pointed out that Transport Secretary Stephen Byers has recently introduced new powers which allow the removal of offending vehicles within 24 hours.

Mr Matthew Hodgkinson, station commander at Great Baddow fire station, told the forum of the dangers of arson created by abandoned cars.

He said that in 2000 there were 2,415 car fires in Essex, compared with 1,497 in 1997.

"Only a small number of these were accidental, with over 50 per cent being classed as either deliberate, malicious, or of doubtful cause," he said.

"Car fires have risen each year for the past five years and had a dramatic 35 per cent increase in 2000."

Setting light to abandoned vehicles was an act of arson which put firefighters lives at risk and also deprived the community of limited and valuable resources.

"We view this as a major problem," he said.

In Great Baddow fire station area alone there were about four car fires every month, at a cost to the service of around £400 each to attend, he said.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ken Jones said "We have a responsibility to find solutions to these problems, but we have got to be extremely careful we don't actually help to breed a culture that the council is there to deal with this."

There was an issue of individual responsibility, he added.

The forum decided to consult the county's waste and capital projects section, to look at how the neighbouring county of Kent deals with the problem, to examine arrangements in place in Southend, and talk to recycling project, ReMaDe Essex.

Published Thursday November 29, 2001