Manheim helps take nuisance old cars off the road

Manheim Auctions has offered its services as a key partner in an innovative scheme to take nuisance old cars off the road in Avon & Somerset.

To prevent old cars from being used and dumped in the local area Manheim Auctions has teamed up with the Car Clear Partnership (CCP) and Sims Group, the world’s leading metal recycling company.

“Whilst older cars are not Manheim’s core business, if the pilot is successful we would look at extending the programme to the other 16 sites in our auction network,” explained Manheim’s group communications director Rob Barr.

Any very low value car that is offered for sale at Manheim’s Bristol auction, that could be used for illegitimate purposes are bought by Sims. These cars are automatically removed from the auction for recycling.

As well as the social benefits of the scheme, additionally it will reduce the amount of tax payer’s money spent by the authorities in the region on removing dumped or torched cars from local streets. To put the impact of the scheme into perspective, costs can run to around £5,000 each time the authorities attend an incident with a torched car.

Police Inspector Paul Bunt of the CCP team said: “Our research has found that many cars sold cheaply at auction never get officially registered and so aren’t ever taxed or insured. We hope this scheme will have a significant impact in keeping these vehicles off the street, thus reducing crime and unsociable behaviour.”

“The early signs of the scheme are that the partners are working very well together so similar schemes could be rolled out by other authorities across the country,” he added.

Derek Campbell, End of Life Vehicle and Business Development Manager at Sims Group comments: “Sims Group runs a number of successful abandoned vehicle schemes around the UK. However this innovative partnership with Manheim is reducing the problem of abandoned vehicles before they even arise. This can only help both the environment and local neighbourhoods.”