Burngreave Parking: Car towed away for 'blocking' busy Sheffield street for 45 minutes with hazard lights on

South Yorkshire Police say action was taken after the vehicle was left on a street which has been at centre of a series of recent complaints about cars being ‘abandoned’ in the middle of the road.

The force said members of the public complained about the vehicle blocking the street, so it was towed away.

The complaint was made over a red Nissan Juke, earlier this week.

Officers from the Sheffield North East neighbourhood policing team’s ‘Burngreave team’ said officers removed the car after it had been left in the road outside the Post Office and the Red Sea Café with its hazard lights on.

They said they had taken action following ‘continual’ reports of vehicles being ‘abandoned in the road’ on that part of Ellesmere Road.

The team said in a statement: “Local residents and business owners are reporting to us that they are struggling to get through these areas due to inconsiderate drivers abandoning vehicles in the road rather than finding a parking space nearby.

“There are a number of people who are visiting this area that are under the impression that putting hazard lights on then gives you the authority to abandon vehicles in a position that may cause danger or obstruction to other road users, whilst nipping into a café for a latte. Unfortunately this is not the case.”

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“This week we located a red Nissan Duke abandoned outside the post office on Ellesmere Road. The hazard lights remained blinking away for around 45 minutes whilst buses and vehicle struggled to get past.

“The driver of the vehicle was nowhere to be seen, therefore we have removed the car for safe keeping until the driver identifies themselves and to ensure other drivers could use the road safely.”

The team said it would be prosecuting people who leave cars in areas which cause an obstruction or present a danger to other road users, and have asked the owner of the Nissan Juke to come forward to discuss its return.