Vehicle removal charges rise goes out to views

New levels of charges for the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles recovered by the police or local authorities in Scotland are proposed in a Scottish Government consultation now running.

Ministers want to harmonise the charges applicable in different situations to a single matrix of charges. At present vehicles causing an obstruction or illegally parked are charged at £150 for removal and £20 per day for storage, compared with £105 for removal and £12 per day for vehicles removed for having been used in an antisocial manner. Neither set of charges has been updated since 2005.

A separate, matrix system is already used where vehicles are seized under the Road Traffic Act 1988 for having no licence or insurance, and ministers propose to extend this – already used in England & Wales – to all types of recoveries, and harmonise the fees.

The consultation does not cover the circumstances in which the police exercise their powers. It also comments: "The Scottish Government takes the view that the charges should not be punitive or an income generator for the police, but should be set at such a level as to make removal operations viable. An increase in charges to some degree is necessary because otherwise it is likely to become uneconomic for contractors to continue these operations."

Recoveries would start at £190, with higher charges for larger vehicles or vehicles off the road, or £315 where a vehicle is not upright or is significantly damaged. Day retention rates would be £13 for two wheeled vehicles or from £25 for others.

Click here to access the consultation. The closing date for responses is 6 August 2018.