More vehicles removed as Buckinghamshire steps up action on problem parking

The council is making significant progress tackling problem vehicles and improving parking for residents, with dozens of vehicles removed from council car parks this year as part of a smarter, more targeted enforcement approach. This includes seizing four vehicles in recent days from Richardson Street Car Park in High Wycombe.

Working alongside its new parking enforcement partner, APCOA Parking (UK) Limited, the council has strengthened its response to vehicles that repeatedly ignore parking regulations or have been left in council car parks for long periods, helping free up spaces for residents, businesses and visitors. The new partnership launched in June and uses an intelligence-led approach to target known problem areas and improve enforcement across the county.

As part of this work, Buckinghamshire Council has now removed a total of 29 vehicles from council car parks so far this year, taking action against vehicles that have caused concern for local communities and prevented legitimate use of valuable parking spaces.

The council has also been taking a coordinated approach to addressing wider issues in affected locations. Where appropriate, parking bays have been temporarily suspended to allow teams to carry out a range of improvement works, including removing vehicles of concern, clearing fly-tipped waste and undertaking tree and hedge maintenance.

Steve Bowles, Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, said:

"Residents tell us they want action on problem parking and vehicles that have been left for prolonged periods of time, and that's exactly what we're doing.

"We've strengthened our enforcement capability, introduced a smarter and more intelligence-led approach, and we're seeing positive results across Buckinghamshire.

"Removing vehicles that are causing issues helps free up parking spaces, improves the appearance of our communities and ensures our car parks remain available for the people who need them.

"This is about making a visible difference in the places residents use every day."

The council works within a strict legal framework when dealing with abandoned vehicle and other vehicles of concern. This can often be more complex than it might appear, with officers required to follow statutory processes including giving vehicle owners opportunities to respond before enforcement action can be taken.

In many cases, where a vehicle has accrued parking penalties, the council must allow owners the opportunity to settle outstanding Penalty Charge Notices before further action is considered. The process also involves working with the DVLA to contact registered keepers, meaning investigations and enforcement can take several weeks before a vehicle can lawfully be removed.

Councillor Bowles added:

"Most motorists park responsibly and considerately. Our focus is on tackling the minority of cases that can cause frustration for residents and have a negative impact on local areas – we know there have been other vehicles in other parts of Buckinghamshire too that have been in position longer than we’d like and these new measures will help us tackle these more quickly.

By combining technology, local intelligence and experienced enforcement officers, we're better equipped to identify issues, take action and continue improving the service for communities across Buckinghamshire."

The council is encouraging residents to continue reporting parking concerns and vehicles causing issues through its website, helping officers identify emerging problems and direct enforcement activity where it is most needed.