101 - Councils and Police in partnership across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear

New campaign launched to encourage the reporting of abandoned vehicles

A campaign has been launched by the Northumbria 101 service to encourage early reporting of abandoned vehicles.

Cars, vans and other vehicles dumped by the roadside, in back lanes and on estates are not only an eyesore but can be dangerous and a magnet for vandals.

101 brings together all 12 local councils and the police-run AVAIL scheme to tackle the problem through the campaign which advises people to dial 101 to report any vehicle they think might be abandoned.

AVAIL manages the removal of abandoned vehicles for 11 out of 12 councils in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland and became a 101 service delivery partner in April this year.

Since January 2006 the service has dealt with 1,500 calls about abandoned vehicles leading to the crushing of 485. A further 200 were untaxed and 52 vehicles were of interest to the police where they believed a crime might have been committed.

Peter Coates, Northumbria 101 Operations Manager, said: "We are running an awareness campaign to encourage people to report abandoned vehicles which can pose a hazardous risk to local communities.

"There are various problems caused by abandoned vehicles that ultimately can cost tax payers money. If a vehicle is reported early and so dealt with quickly, there is less chance it will become a fire hazard or attract vandals. Vehicles set alight or used as a playground by youngsters can mean other emergency services, like the fire services, ambulance and hospitals, have to be called on. By early removal, this can easily be avoided.

"We would urge people to report any vehicle they suspect to be dumped."

Vehicles that are collected for the council via the AVAIL scheme are quickly identified and, if it is established they are abandoned, will be crushed.

It's not always easy to know if a vehicle is abandoned but the following points should help you decide: * Is the vehicle taxed? * Do the brakes look rusty, are any of the tyres flat or does it look dilapidated? * Does it look vandalised with broken windows or as if someone has stolen it and dumped it? * Are there any litter or weeds under the vehicle indicating that it has not moved for some time? * Does it have a number plate? * Do any of your neighbours recognise it?

Mr Coates added: "If you think you have found an abandoned vehicle call 101 and report it. Please get as many details about the vehicle as you can: its registration number, make and colour and location. Never enter or even touch an abandoned vehicle as it may be dangerous or have been used in a crime and needs to be investigated by police."

Notes to editors:

Photographs are available of the campaign launch at a car crushing plant. Contact Jill Barber at GNN on 0191 202 3609.

It is the responsibility of local councils to remove abandoned vehicles and because 101 and AVAIL offers a wealth of experience in dealing with the issue, along with a direct link to DVLA, many councils use the service to tackle the problem quickly and effectively.

Vehicles on public roads will be investigated to establish whether they are actually abandoned and if so will be removed within three days. If the vehicle is at risk of arson or in a place which cause a danger to the public, it will be given a higher priority.

Abandoning a vehicle is a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of a fine of £2,500 or three months imprisonment, or both.

The 101 service - delivered by a partnership between all 12 local councils across Northumberland and Tyne and Wear and Northumbria Police, aims to provide a simple, easy to remember number people can call for a variety of community safety and anti-social behaviour issues.

The main service areas covered by 101 are: * threatening and abusive behaviour * vandalism and graffiti * drunken and rowdy groups * broken street lighting * drugs related anti-social behaviour * abandoned vehicles, and vehicle related ASB * litter, dumping and fly tipping * noisy neighbours and loud parties.

The introduction of the new service will have wide reaching benefits, including: * Better access to non-emergency services - more people will know first hand who to call. * Better delivery of non-emergency services - calls will be targeted so the relevant organisations will deal with the issue direct. * Increased confidence in public services - people will know what to expect from 101, the police and their council. * Improved 999 emergency services - police will be able to focus on real emergencies.

Other areas with the new service are Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Sheffield, Cardiff and Leicester City, Rutland, Harborough and Melton.

The service will be able to deal with calls from people with other languages and is likely to expand to include email and text contact.

People will pay a maximum of 10p per call regardless of how long they are on the line. This is expected to help deter bogus callers. In many cases it is cheaper than calls to existing police and council non-emergency numbers. The charge goes towards providing 101 and not the police or councils.

Northumbria 101 is unique in its make up compared to the other four partnerships as it is using existing contact centres and staff to deliver the service from separate centres at Sunderland City Council, Newcastle City Council and Northumbria Police.

The Northumbria 101 Partnership comprises * Northumbria Police * Northumbria Police Authority * AVAIL * Sunderland City Council * Newcastle City Council * Gateshead Council * North Tyneside Council * South Tyneside Council * Northumberland County Council * Alnwick District Council * Berwick upon Tweed Borough Council * Blyth Valley Borough Council * Castle Morpeth Borough Council * Tynedale Council * Wansbeck District Council.

Client ref NE/381/07