An East Cowes resident has had her car returned after it was ‘stolen’ and due to be crushed by Island Roads – but the PFI contractor insists it has a legal right to take your vehicle, even if it’s on private land. Rebecca Alder returned home after work on 30th May to be greeted by a neighbour, who said that Rebecca’s car had been taken away that afternoon. To her shock, her Land Rover Freelander had indeed disappeared from her privately owned parking space on the Hawthorn Meadows estate. On the surface, it appeared that the Freelander had simply been stolen, with drag marks left on the tarmac. Thankfully, doorbell footage from a neighbouring property caught the moment the vehicle was taken away by a recovery agent. Owing to this, Rebecca was able to contact the local firm and establish that they were working on behalf of Island Roads – but otherwise she would have been at a loss as to where her car had gone. It soon became clear that Rebecca’s car was due to be crushed as an abandoned vehicle – despite being on her own, private land and registered as SORN – unless she paid £150 and £20 per day storage. 
After several emails between the Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads and the recovery agent, as well as a physical meeting with Island Roads’ District Stewards, the order to crush the car was halted. After 8 days the vehicle was returned to East Cowes – free of charge. Speaking to Island Echo, Rebecca has said:
“Island Roads insist they did everything correctly and followed procedures. It’s simply shocking that they can go onto anyone’s land and take away your property. “Although stickers were placed on the car, which is out of view of my house, I received no direct communication – despite the parking space being marked with my house number. Would it have taken them much to knock on my door, or put a letter through the postbox? “If it wasn’t for contacting my councillor, Stephen Hendry, and the press, I feel like I would have been just a little person in the system and wouldn’t have been looked at. “There have been no apologies but at least I now have my car back!”
Rebecca reported the matter to the Police as theft, but Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary stated, after 5 days, that it was a civil matter. 
The incident has revealed that Island Roads has the power – under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 – to remove vehicles from land in ‘the open air’, which includes private land and private roads. This in theory means that any vehicles stored on private land that appear abandoned could be taken and crushed. A spokesperson for Island Roads has said:
“While this case is unusual, all the established processes were followed to identify the vehicle owner. “After a member of the public reported it as abandoned, we inspected the car. Given its condition – dirty with flat tyres and with weeds growing around it, it was clear it had not been driven for some considerable time. “As is the process, we then checked the registration and were advised by the DVLA that the registration plates displayed did not match the registered vehicle and therefore details of ownership could not be obtained. Contacting registered landowners does not form part of the process to identify vehicle ownership. “Again, in accordance with established processes, we then put a notice on the car requesting the owner contact us as we suspected it had been abandoned. After 15 days when no response was forthcoming, we removed the vehicle. “At that point, the owner made contact. We then visited them at their house to explain the process and have, of course, now returned the vehicle free of charge.
“We will look to identify whether there are lessons to be learned or changes to the process required in the future”.
