Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967

53 Disposal of vehicles abandoned on roads or in parking places.

(1) Regulations under section 20 of this Act, an order under section 31(1) thereof, an order relating to a parking place designated under section 35 thereof or an order containing a provision having effect by virtue of section 39(2) thereof may contain provision as respects a vehicle which has been, or could at any time be, removed in pursuance of the regulations or order,—

(a) for authorising the competent authority, if it appears to them that the vehicle has been abandoned, to sell or otherwise dispose of it;

(b) for authorising the application of the proceeds of a sale by the competent authority of the vehicle in or towards satisfaction of any costs incurred by them in connection with the disposal thereof or any charge to payment of which they are entitled as regards the vehicle under section 52 of this Act;

(c) for recouping the competent authority any such costs as aforesaid so far as not satisfied by virtue of paragraph (b) above;

(d) for regulating the disposal of any sums received by the competent authority on a sale of the vehicle, after deducting any sum applied thereout by virtue of paragraph (b) above.

(2) Any such regulations or order as are or is referred to in subsection (1) above shall be so framed as to secure that a power of disposal conferred thereby shall not be exercisable in the case of a vehicle unless there have been taken by the competent authority such steps and there has elapsed such period (not being less than six weeks) beginning with the taking of the first of them as may be prescribed by the regulations or order, being steps and a period whose respective taking and lapse will, in the opinion of the Minister of the Crown or other the authority making the regulations or order, together suffice for securing adequate opportunity for enabling the vehicle to be claimed.

(3) Different provision may be made under this section with respect to vehicles of different classes or with respect to vehicles of the same class in different circumstances.

(4) In this section " competent authority ", in relation to a vehicle that has been removed, means the authority who, in relation to it, are (within the meaning of section 52 of this Act) the appropriate authority and, in relation to a vehicle that could at any time be removed, either of the two authorities who, if it were then removed, could in relation to it respectively be (within the meaning of that section) the appropriate authority.

(5) The foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect subject to the provisions of any order for the time being in force under section 25 of the [1967 c. 69.] Civic Amenities Act 1967.