Abandoned cars with ‘slashed tyres’, ‘smashed windows’ and infested with rats cause ‘absolute misery’ to residents, an Isle of Wight councillor has complained.
The scourge is not being tackled and has ‘got to stop’, Liberal Democrat Michael Lilley told Ryde Town Council (RTC) yesterday (Wednesday, 23rd June 2026).
He said the owners of the cars should be made to ‘take responsibility’ and he urged RTC to acknowledge the issue.
‘Not fit for purpose’
The Ryde Appley and Elmfield representative said he gets ‘fed up’ with it being ‘ignored’ and ‘bounced back’. He said,
“There are two cars in Rink Road which are opposite Simeon Rec, that have been there for a long time.
“They have slashed tyres, they have smashed windows and everything.
“Because the owners are still acknowledging them, Island Roads are not able to remove them. They’re not fit for purpose but the DVLA would have to come over here and they only come over twice a year.
“There are rats in them.”
He said young people have been seen getting in the cars.
The councillor said this area was just one example and mentioned ‘eight or ten’ abandoned cars over the last two years.
An Island-wide problem
Councillor Ian Stephens said there had been ‘vans, campervans and trailers’ left but that the issue was for the Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils (IWALC) to take forward.
He said,
“As a former member of the Isle of Wight Council, in all my years, I tackled this at Isle of Wight Council level.
“I think if we’re going to do anything, because it’s an Island-wide situation…we should move it through IWALC.
“Our staff are maxed out with dealing with things they have to deal with. And we’ve got other things we want to deal with: green spaces, youth movement and getting things in place for that.”
Question of who takes it forward
Binstead and Fishbourne Isle of Wight councillor Ian Dore said he agreed with Councillor Stephens and that over the next few months there will be some discussions with Highways PFI.
He added,
“The more that pitch in on this, the better.”
Councillor Diana Conyers said she was not sure how much influence IWALC would have and that it was something for County Hall to deal with.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
