Call To Boycott Scrap Cheats

Farmers' fields, rural woodland and industrial estates - all are being blighted by illegal scrapyards which are springing up across the country.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Max Glaskin

21st October 2004

It's happening because tough lic-ensing rules designed to protect the environment are driving unscrupulous operators outside the law.

The Environment Agency (EA) has admitted it's no idea how many there are, but inspectors have closed down a number this year. Earlier this month, John Orton was fined ΂£400 plus ΂£100 costs after admitting running an illegal yard at Freeway Farm, Mountsorrel, Leics. Scrapped cars were on his land and parts dumped in skips. On the ground were pools of oil, and batteries and tyres.

An EA spokeswoman said motorists could help stop law-breakers by not dealing with them. "Purchasing spare parts from an illegal site encourages the operation and carries an increased risk of being supplied with components from stolen vehicles," she explained.

However, one industry expert told us that drivers getting rid of a banger are tempted to go to illegal operators because they give the best price. Paul Fox, chairman of the Motor Vehicles Dismantlers Association, said: "Governments in Norway, Denmark and Holland pay owners ΂£50 to take wrecks to proper yards, but there's no incentive here.

"Illegal operators offer more cash because they don't have the overheads of licensed yards." Only the threat of fines from the DVLA persuades people to accept lower prices from legal yards.