Sinn Fein Councillor Kevin Campbell
He made his commented after an incident in Creggan where a car was left for ten days before it was removed.
Said Councillor Campbell: “I am very concerned to learn the time it is now taking to remove abandoned cars or run arounds across the city.
“It used to be that if a car or run around used by joy riders was abandoned in an estate or if it wasn’t taxed it would be lifted immediately and taken to a pound to be claimed.
“Now the Council have to put an abandon notice on the vehicle for a full week and only after this period of days will the vehicle be lifted.
“An example of this is when an abandoned car was left in an area of Creggan with the side windows smashed. It lay for ten days with a notice on it before it was removed.
“Leaving any car for that length of time gives the so called joy riders the opportunity to come back and retrieve it and drive mad around the estate again putting children and the entire community at risk.
“It also places vehicles parked beside these abandoned ones in danger of being set on fire.
“It’s very clear that simply putting a sticker on a car and leaving it for a week is not working.
“If there is no tax and no MOT then the vehicle is not road worthy and on the grounds of health and safety they should be removed.
“I will be raising this issue with senior members of Council,” he added.
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