Cars to be towed for blocking roads or unpaid fines

As many as 150 cars could be seized by a council every year after it approved a plan.

Slough Borough Council in Berkshire will be able to tow away cars whose owners have three or more outstanding parking tickets or those that are blocking a road or causing a hazard.

Owners will have to pay to recover their car, which, if unclaimed, could be sold off at auction.

Paul Kelly, the council's lead member for housing, highways, planning and transport, said more than 11,000 fines are currently written off every year.

Mr Kelly said the council predicts the new scheme will raise £165,000 every year, of which about £150,000 will go towards the costs of running the scheme.

Pat Hayes, the council's senior officer responsible for roads, told council leaders that the policy is common across London and the South East.

"You'll have heard about difficulties getting refuse vehicles and fire engines to places in the borough," he said.

"It's good news in terms of keeping traffic moving, it's good news in terms of safety and it's good news in terms of parking fine recovery."

Abandoned vehicles, or non-motorised ones such as trailers and caravans, could also be towed, as could cars displaying fake or fraudulent blue disabled parking badges.

The powers are set to come into force in April after council leaders appoint a contractor to operate the scheme.

The council's cabinet approved adopting it on 16 December.

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