Renewed calls for abandoned cars to be dealt with

Residents living near a car park close to the Pulias Pond, known locally as the Smelly Pond, say vehicles left for years are part of a growing problem being seen across Guernsey.

People in the area said abandoned cars had become a regular sight with some left untouched for up to five years and at times as many as four or five taking up limited parking spaces.

Jennifer Mahy who has lived there for nearly 30 years, said the situation had worsened over the years: "When we first moved here, this wasn't happening. Now there are always cars just left there."

Deputy Andy Cameron said limited enforcement powers often left authorities unable to intervene, but new processes were being looked at.

Concerns have also been raised about fairness, with residents questioning why those abandoning vehicles appear to face little consequence.

"If my dog makes a mess and I don't pick it up, I'd get fined, but these cars can sit there for years," said Mahy.

The issue is not isolated with similar complaints in other parts of the island, especially at coastal car parks and along rural lanes where there are no restrictions on how long vehicles can be parked for.

In some locations, signs have been placed on vehicles indicating the police are aware of them, but residents said this rarely led to the cars being removed.

A resident living near one of the sites said he had been told by officials there was little that could be done if the vehicles were not breaking specific traffic or highway laws.

Steve Merrion, who lives along Saltpans Road, an area once blighted by dumped cars, said targeted measures could have a real impact.

"Introducing measures like 23-hour parking limits has made it easier to prevent vehicles being abandoned and keeps the area looking cared for," he said.

The removal of the cars abandoned in this area took seven years and involved St Sampson's parish officials trying to contact the last registered owners through the States of Guernsey and liaising with authorities in Jersey and the UK.

Once they had been removed, boulders were placed to stop other vehicles being left there.

Deputy Andy Cameron, a member of the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure Committee who lives near one of the sites where vehicles are regularly abandoned, said limited enforcement powers often left authorities unable to intervene, even when residents reported the problem.

He said he had seen cars sit untouched in several of the worst‑affected areas for multiple years, raising concerns not only about how they look and the impression they give visitors to the island, but also about potential environmental risks if they begin to leak fluids into the ground.

Cameron said the committee was developing new processes to remove long‑term abandoned vehicles at little or no cost to the taxpayer, describing it as an issue that needed addressing before it grew any further.

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