Garth Ward clear-up sees multiple removals

POLICE have organised the removal several untaxed and abandoned vehicles from the Garth ward in Haverfordwest following a joint operation earlier today.

Neighbourhood officers from Haverfordwest NPPT, working alongside the Roads Policing Unit, carried out enforcement action after a number of vehicles were found to have no valid road tax and had been left parked or abandoned for extended periods.

A police spokesperson said the operation was aimed at improving safety, accessibility, and the general appearance of residential streets where long-term abandoned vehicles had become an issue.

Millforge Garage were brought in to assist with the removals, with officers praising staff for their work in recovering vehicles that were “in awkward and difficult positions”.

Under UK law, it is illegal to keep or park an untaxed vehicle on any public road. Vehicles must be taxed or declared SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), but a SORN declaration is only valid if the vehicle is kept entirely on private land. Leaving a SORN vehicle on a street, layby or pavement breaches DVLA regulations and can result in immediate enforcement action.

DVLA enforcement teams and police have the power to clamp or remove any untaxed vehicle found on a public road without warning. In many cases, removal fees, daily storage charges and unpaid tax must be settled before the vehicle can be released — and if not collected, the vehicle may ultimately be scrapped.

The Herald understands that further inspections will continue over the coming weeks as part of ongoing efforts to tackle nuisance and abandoned vehicles across the town.

Temporary suspension of charges as new operating arrangements are reviewed

ATEB has confirmed that parking charges at the Old Haverfordwest Library car park on Dew Street have been suspended from this week (November 17) until the New Year while the organisation reviews how the site is operated.

The update was shared with residents by Castle Ward county councillor Thomas Tudor following a statement from ATEB chief executive Nick Hampshire.

Mr Hampshire said the organisation is “currently reviewing the Dew Street car parking operations” and will therefore not charge users during the review period. However, he stressed that motorists use the site “at their own risk,” as clearly set out on the on-site notices.

New arrangements expected in 2026

ATEB says its intention is to introduce new parking arrangements early in the New Year. These are expected to mirror the terms, rates and conditions used in Pembrokeshire County Council-run car parks, providing consistency for shoppers, visitors and local residents.

“Until we agree the new arrangements, we will not be in a position to share more detail,” Mr Hampshire added.

Cllr Tudor encouraged residents with any queries to contact him directly.

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced the launch of its latest problem-solving project under the University of South Wales’ ‘Virtual Volunteers’ scheme – this time focusing on rural crime and the theft of farm machinery by organised crime groups.

The new programme has been written by Alicia Edwards, a Bangor University student researching rural crime as part of her doctorate. Dyfed-Powys Police also consulted Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison of North Wales Police, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for rural and wildlife crime.

Chief Inspector Dominic Jones, of the Dyfed-Powys Police Central Prevention Hub, said the initiative gives USW students a meaningful way to contribute to a crime type that continues to worry farming and rural communities.

He said: “Any student at the University of South Wales can now volunteer for the force through engaging with this pernicious crime problem that is of very real concern to the rural communities we serve. Students consider the many complexities involved in a crime of this nature, undertake research into the subject and are then encouraged to address the challenging questions raised within the problem.

“Each student volunteer, upon completion of the programme, receives a letter of appreciation from Chief Constable Ifan Charles in recognition of their contribution.”

The ‘Virtual Volunteers’ programme has already tasked students with examining a range of crime issues, including cannabis cultivation in abandoned properties, romance fraud, money laundering and emerging threats linked to Artificial Intelligence.

In the coming weeks, participants will also be invited to propose innovative solutions to technology-enabled abuse of women and girls – a programme authored by the National Centre for Violence Against Women & Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP) under the NPCC.