A man has been fined over £1000 after he abandoned his car in a busy industrial estate in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
In December 2024, the Council’s Streetcare Enforcement Team received a complaint in relation to an abandoned vehicle, which was causing an issue in a Llantrisant Industrial Estate.
When the Enforcement Officer attended the location, the vehicle, a 2006 Honda Civic, was assessed and stickered with a warning under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978, stating that the vehicle had deemed to have been abandoned. The Warning Notice stated that the owner of the vehicle had 14 days to remove the vehicle or further action would be taken.
The owner of the vehicle was identified as Callum Johnson from Ferndale, Rhondda. Mr Johnson failed to remove the vehicle after the 14-days and was sent a letter to let him know that if the vehicle wasn’t removed in the next 7-days, then the Council would remove it and he would face a Fixed Penalty Notice.
The vehicle was not removed and continued to cause issues on Green Meadow Industrial Estate, Llantrisant. This meant that the Enforcement Officers has no option but to arrange for the removal and crushing of the vehicle.
After its removal and crushing Mr Johnson was sent a Fixed Penalty Notice and ordered to pay £200. Mr Johnson ignored this and two further letters advising him that court action would be taken.
In June 2025 the case was heard at Merthyr Magistrates Court and Mr Johnson was found guilty in his absence and issued with a Fine of £440, Costs of £498 and a Victim Surcharge of £176 – totalling £1014, which needed to be paid in 28 days!
The message is clear, the Council’s Enforcement teams will take ALL the actions needed to ensure that our County Borough is not a dumping ground for dog mess, littering, fly-tipping or abandoned cars. RCT residents deserve to live in an area free from these unsightly and often hazardous items. Anyone found blighting Rhondda Cynon Taf will face a fine or court action when needed.
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure said:
“This latest case once again demonstrates the teamwork by our dedicated Enforcement team.
“The team continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our County Borough is a clean, green area for us all to live, work and visit and it is once again the minority of individuals that are blighting the highways of RCT.
“You are responsible for your vehicle and simply parking it up and walking away when you’re done with it, isn’t an option – it’s a massive blight on the community and causes a big obstruction for those who have to live around it.
“The team will continue their great work and this latest case should act as a deterrent to those who think that they won’t get caught red handed – there is NEVER an excuse for Fly-Tipping or blighting the community and we WILL always take action to hold those to account for their actions!”
