Gov’t to suspend derelict vehicle programme

Health & Social Development Minister Vincent Wheatley has announced that the government will have to suspend the collection of derelict vehicles until a new long-term storage site is identified.

Minister Wheatley said the Department of Waste Management is actively working to secure a new long-term storage site for derelict vehicles, as the current site at Havers will be cleared in the coming weeks.

He added that the government may opt for Crown land if that option is available for storing and processing derelict vehicles and other scrap metal.

Although the programme will soon be suspended, the public should note that the department will continue to issue removal notices to owners of derelict vehicles deemed to be an immediate public nuisance.

“Where necessary, [the Department] will impose fines until such vehicles are removed to an appropriate location,” Minister Wheatley said.

The derelict vehicle programme commenced after the 2017 hurricanes when the territory was littered with damaged vehicles that ruined the scenic aesthetic for which the BVI is known.

As the government looks to extend the programme, Minister Wheatley said the government will be re-implementing the Derelict Vehicle Disposal Fee as of September 1, 2025.