Subj : Invercargill resident frustrated by car abandoned for 3 weeks
To   : All
From : News Person
Date : Wed Apr 10 2024 12:00 pm

An Invercargill pensioner believes it is "shocking" it took almost three
weeks for an abandoned car wreck to be removed from his street.


From March 20, a vehicle was parked facing the wrong direction on Ythan St
following a crash at the nearby intersection.


Brian Middlemiss, who lives opposite where it was parked, had spoken to both
police and Invercargill City Council about the issue, but was none the wiser
about when it would be resolved.


Much to his relief, the car was finally removed on Monday afternoon.


"I'm pleased it's gone. Why couldn't that happen a couple of days... after
the accident?" he said.


"I think it's shocking that it took so long."


Middlemiss said the car was a "danger" while it was parked up because of how
close it was to the intersection.

The vehicle had been broken into, and he noted it was both facing the wrong
direction and unwarrantable, meaning it was parked illegally.


Prior to its removal, he told Local Democracy Reporting he would deliver it
to the owner if he could.


"If I'd have taken a load of rubbish and dumped it outside the owner of that
car's place... the council would come around and pick it up and shift it."


In response to questions, Invercargill City Council said it did not remove
the vehicle.


Council environmental services manager Gillian Cavanagh said her organisation
had investigated the vehicle on Ythan St, but would only become involved if
police requested them to remove it.


That would happen if there was no identified owner of the vehicle, Cavanagh
said.


If a vehicle was stolen or involved in a crash, it was a police
responsibility.


It was then up to the owner and insurance company to remove it once
investigations were complete.


A police spokesperson said the vehicle's owner had initially said they would
pay for the cost of towing the vehicle.


The person was issued an infringement related to the crash, and the case had
since been filed, the spokesperson said.


"The responsibility of removing abandoned vehicles in the first instance
falls to the registered owner and, if they do not take action, the council."


It is believed the car owner has moved the vehicle. The owner of the car
could not be contacted.


The council had disposed of six vehicles this calendar year, none of which
were the result of an accident.


Removal came at an average cost of $360, but the organisation was able to
pass that on to the owner if they knew who that was.


LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air

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