MP Sonia Hornery is calling for changes to the policy surrounding abandoned vehicles, following a sharp rise in the number of cars dumped on the side of the road being torched.
Currently, abandoned vehicles must sit on the roadside for a minimum of 28 days, before the RMS or Councils can move them, unless they pose a traffic hazard.
Hornery will today move a Notice of Motion, asking the Minister for Roads and Transport to allow cars to be removed sooner, as they pose a major fire hazard if torched.
The Wallsend MP says she residents and Fire and Rescue Service regularly contact her, concerned about abandoned cars left along the Link Road at Wallsend, and Minmi Road at Fletcher.
“You can guarantee that when you see an abandoned car, you know the inevitable will happen – they will get burnt. A couple of days later the wheels are gone, then the parts, and a few days later it’s on fire,” Ms Hornery said.
“The problem is the fire hazard this then poses for residents who live in these rapidly growing areas,” she said.
“This should be a no-brainer for the Minister to fix. With summer approaching, it is important that we see changes immediately.”
