Council may seize and remove vehicles on Council roads or road related areas (e.g. footpath, dividing strip or public cycle paths) if they are:
- unregistered,
- abandoned,
- unsightly or
- ·otherwise parked in a hazardous location.
Vehicles that are registered and legally parked cannot be deemed as abandoned and are permitted on the road reserve. Where a vehicle is deemed to be in a hazardous location, Council may in some instances organise for it to be removed immediately.
If outside of Council hours, please contact Queensland Police.
If you know that a vehicle is abandoned, you can report it by contacting Council.
A Council officer will ask vehicle details such as the make/model, colour, location, the period of time that the vehicle has been at its current location, and the condition it is in.
If an abandoned vehicle has the potential to be a safety hazard to motorists and/or pedestrians, please call Police Link on 131 444 and report the vehicle as being a safety hazard.
For vehicles believed to have been abandoned, Council must follow legal procedures before the vehicle can be removed from the roadway or footpath. This process can take four to six weeks to complete. During this time, the vehicle is inspected, and surrounding properties checked to see if an owner can be located. A local law notice is displayed on the vehicle advising that the vehicle will be towed if it is not removed in seven days. Registration checks may also be performed to help locate the owner. Only after these checks are performed and if no owner has claimed the vehicle, will it be removed.
If the vehicle is not removed, it will be impounded and subsequently offered for sale by auction or as scrap metal unless claimed within a specified time frame.