Thursday 12th March 2026

By Bridlington Gold Radio Editor

A Scarborough man has been ordered to pay more than £1,550 after abandoning a camper van on land behind Quay Road in Bridlington.

John Blake, of Seamer Road, Scarborough, left the brown Ford camper van in a dilapidated state on the site between February and May last year. The vehicle had no registration and was described as dirty and neglected.
The case was heard in Blake’s absence at Beverley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 4 March, where he was found guilty of abandoning a vehicle without lawful authority. He was fined £440, ordered to pay £935.94 in costs, and given a £176 victim surcharge.

East Riding Council’s streetscene enforcement officers located the camper van following reports from the public. After investigations, Blake was identified as the owner and the vehicle was later removed.

Carl Skelton, the council’s director of streetscene services, said abandoned vehicles can cause a nuisance for nearby residents and pose safety risks. He added that while most cases are resolved with owners directly, the council will step in when necessary to remove vehicles and recover costs.

The council investigates abandoned vehicles on both public and private land. Most owners remove their vehicles once contacted, but some cases do proceed to enforcement. Owners can face a £200 fixed penalty or a larger fine if taken to court.
More information on reporting abandoned vehicles is available at: eastriding.gov.uk/abandonedvehicles.