Ealing Council has stepped up enforcement against abandoned and untaxed vehicles on its housing estates, towing 21 cars from the Golf Links estate in Southall last month (November 2025) as part of a borough-wide operation.
The council said 82 vehicles have been removed from the Golf Links estate over the past six months, alongside continued investigations into abandoned vehicles on public roads.
Since May, the council has removed 13 vehicles from the Copley Close estate in Hanwell, 35 from the Havelock estate in Southall and 21 from Golf Links, with a further 13 taken from other estates. More operations are being planned across the borough’s council housing estates.
The council said the rules for parking on estates mirror those on the public highway, meaning vehicles must be taxed, insured and have a valid MOT, as well as being in safe working order. Vehicles registered as off-road under a statutory off-road notice are not permitted to be parked on housing estates, and commercial garages are not allowed to operate on them.
Before any tow takes place, notices are placed on vehicles and letters are sent to registered owners. If owners do not take action, vehicles are removed to a pound, where they can be collected but are subject to towing and storage fees. Any that are not claimed will be scrapped, with parts recovered and metal recycled.
The enforcement drive extends beyond housing estates. More than 250 abandoned vehicles left on the borough’s streets have been removed in the past six months, the council revealed.
Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, said: “Our priority is clear: to make council estates and highways safer, cleaner, and more accessible for residents. We’re acting on reports from residents and businesses, alongside our own investigations. This latest operation reinforces our commitment. We are listening, and we are taking decisive action.”
To report an abandoned vehicle, click here.
