250 cars a day are dumped

More than 250 cars a day are being dumped on London's streets.

Not only are they an eyesore, they attract arsonists and vandals as well as infuriating residents.

Official figures show London is the car-dumping capital of Britain, accounting for almost two in five of all abandoned vehicles.

More than 94,000 vehicles were abandoned in London last year, and the problem afflicts every borough.

Disposing of the wrecks last year cost London's 33 local authorities ?8.5 million. Since 2001, abandoned vehicle fires in the capital have cost more than ?110 million to deal with. CCTV cameras may now be used to trap offenders.

Haringey has more abandoned vehicles than any other part of the capital. Nearly 6,000 had to be cleared from its streets last year - about 1,300 more than the year before.

The number of vehicles dumped in London last year fell compared with 2002's record figure of 104,500. But the figure is still higher than in 2000, when 83,900 were abandoned.

Despite the fall, the figures mean London now accounts for 37 per cent of all vehicles dumped in Britain.

Other hotspots for illegal car dumping include Enfield, which had to contend with nearly 5,000 abandoned vehicles, and Greenwich which saw a rise from 4,200 in 2002 to 4,429 last year.

Inner London boroughs also suffered. Hammersmith and Fulham had to deal with 2,188 dumped vehicles, Lambeth 3,577 and Wandsworth 2,753.

To fight back, Lewisham and Newham launched Operation Scrap-It, backed with ?13.4 million of government funding, in which the councils pledged to remove all dumped vehicles within 72 hours.

Residents could call a hotline to have their own car removed free. As a result, the number of vehicles left on Newham's streets plummeted from 6,704 a year in 2000 to 3,105 last year. Lewisham's tally fell from 5,000 a year to 3,554 over the same period.

All boroughs have now signed up to the scheme which will be fully in place by October. Under it, councils can crush any untaxed and unregistered vehicles found on roads. They also have powers to enter vehicles that have been towed away to remove valuables or rotting food.

Nick Lester, of the Association of London Government, said: "There is no longer any excuse for people to dump a car in most boroughs. We will prosecute those found to be responsible for dumping and camera evidence may be helpful with this."