Westminster’s top parking offenders dealt a crushing green blow (16/05/2008)

Fifty of central London's most prolific parking offenders who owe more than £180,000 in unpaid fines are to have their vehicles crushed and recycled.

The vehicles are due to be sent for recycling over the next few weeks and include everything from family cars and small hatchbacks to top of the range models such as a BMW and a Mercedes Benz.

Metal parts have long been valuable but new technology means at least 85 per cent of each vehicle, including oil, tyres and plastic bumpers, can be reused or recycled.

All of their valuable parts will be removed first before the plastics are turned into common everyday household items such as pens, rulers and even mouse mats. Tyre rubber can be used for children's playground surfacing and fuel recovery, glass is mixed with aggregate for road construction and fluids are used in industry.

Westminster City Council's Director of Parking, Alastair Gilchrist, said:

“Westminster has some of the highest pollution levels in the UK and a day time population of one million people.

"Rather than rusting away in our car pound we are pleased that these vehicles earmarked for crushing will be recycled and put to good use and in doing so will help the environment in the process."

This is the latest in a number of green motoring projects that complement Westminster City Council's Go Green agenda. The council has recently helped develop Walkit.com, an innovative project aimed at encouraging people to walk by providing an online map giving the best route to avoid the most polluted streets and provided the largest on-street electric car recharging service in the UK. Motorists who are classed as persistent evaders spotted parking on Westminster’s streets can expect their cars to be removed and scrapped or auctioned if they fail to pay the outstanding fines.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

All Vehicles are sent to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) where they are treated in line with the European End of Life Directive (ELV Directive) to reach a recycling target of 85%

1) The vehicle is checked in and all administrative checks are carried out; ie issue of COD Certificate of Destruction (The issuing of a COD effectively removes the vehicle from the DVLA database)

2) Remove non metallic parts for recycling/reuse ie plastic bumpers for re-processing

3) Move to depollution building/area - start Depollution process;

4) Disconnect battery and remove from vehicle.

5) Remove wheels and tyres from vehicle.

6) Remove all fluids using specialist equipment and store in specialist containers. ie; Coolant, screen wash, Engine oil, Gearbox oil, Rear differential oil, Brake Fluid, Shock Absorber fluid, Air Conditioning Gas.

7) Remove catalytic converter(s)

8) Remove or deploy all pyrotechnic devices (e.g. airbags) within the vehicle using specialist equipment.

9) Once the vehicle has been fully de-polluted it is send to a shredder for further separation, ie non ferrous (aluminium) ferrous (steel)

In 2005 the UK Government implemented new legislation called the End of Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive. The objective of the Directive is to ensure that as much of a vehicle is recycled as possible whilst ensuring that all hazardous materials are treated appropriately.

The ELV Directive set targets for the UK to ensure that, by 2006, 85% of an ELV is recovered and recycled.

Westminster city council car park electric vehicle recharging scheme, was launched in 1999 and now boasts 60 recharging points, including UK’s first on-street vehicle recharging scheme, launched in 2006 and now featuring 12 "juice points", with more to follow.

The Council has also signed up to the Air Text forecast scheme, which sends alerts and health advice to people who are most likely to be affected on days when air pollution is elevated in their area. This enables them to take appropriate action to minimise their exposure, such as carrying their inhaler or avoiding outdoor exercise on days when pollution is expected to be high.

One litre of waste oil is sufficient to contaminate one million litres of water and oil poured onto the ground will affect soil fertility.

Latest figures show that Westminster Council has 200 vehicles in its car pound, most of which were towed away because their owners have multiple unpaid fines in their name for parking in dangerous locations or residents bays. These motorists are often untraceable, incorrectly registered at the DVLA or fail to come and collect their vehicle despite numerous reminders.

Vehicles are held for a minimum of 84 days before being taken for disposal or until the driver pays their fines