Untaxed car on unadopted road

[e-honda]

What is the situation of an untaxed car parked on the street on an unadopted road?

There is a slightly strange situation the lady who lives a few houses away from me has always parked her car Infront of her drive rather than on it, for seemingly no reason. It's never been particularly in anyone's way I don't think anyone has ever complained but it has always stuck me as odd.

Anyway I think the lady has some health problems she looks a little frail these days and the car has been sat there, I checked recently and the tax expired nearly a year ago and the mot 6 months ago.

A couple of days ago there were 2 cars clamped for no tax on the main my road comes off. The main road is also part of the estate I live on, it is also unadopted but because it is a bus route is higher up the council's priority for adoption, but I was still surprised they did not also notice this one as it was less than 50m from the 2 they clamped, it is white with a now fairly green roof and a flat tyre so quite noticeable, so wondered if maybe there is some complex rule that means it was ok where it is until the adoption process gets to a certain point, or maybe the other 2 cars have been pinged on anpr cameras and this one has not.

I don't really want to get involved in other peoples business but given the fine and back taxes for this car could add up to a fair amount and to resolve the situation would take 10 minutes to pump up the tyre and roll the car forward onto the drive I feel like maybe I should do something.

[randlemarcus]

You should do something. Ignoring the niceties of law, as I understood it, if the van pings, they're likely to clamp it, and answer the finer points of law later, if at all.

Pop round, and offer to get it back on her drive, it's just a neighbourly thing.

Unless she's horrid, in which case, grass her up

[ZedLeg]

Yeah, just go round and ask if she'd like you to move it, might get a wee pound coin out of it.

[Nimby]

I thought you only needed VED on roads "maintained at public expense". Must still be either insured or SORN'd though.

[Cyberprog]

Nimby said:

I thought you only needed VED on roads "maintained at public expense". Must still be either insured or SORN'd though.

They are quite keen to clamp even in carparks! Wether they should or not is a bit grey.

[Aretnap]

Nimby said:

I thought you only needed VED on roads "maintained at public expense".

This is correct and until the road is adopted it isn't maintained at public expense. However

(1) The car must be SORNed if it isn't taxed. If it's neither taxed nor SORNed it can be clamped/seized even if not on a publicly maintained road. Might the car's that were clamped further up the road not have been SORNed

(2) Anecdotally the DVLA's contractors are not always, urm, infallible when it comes to checking that the road is indeed adopted. If it's simple and easy to move the car onto the driveway now that might be a better solution than her risking having to deal with a car which has been incorrectly clamped - or forgetting to do it when the road is eventually adopted and having it correctly clamped. Your neighbours might thank you for freeing up a parking space as well.