Local authorities will have their say on Government proposals to tighten laws on abandoned cars.

The amount of cars abandoned on Kingston's streets has grown steadily over the years because of the falling price of scrap metal and used cars.

Norbiton Councillor Ed Naylor said: "When a car costs £300 and the cost to fix it is more than the value, people discard it and buy another."

In a normal week Street Care, the firm responsible for removing cars for Kingston Council, receives 70 to 100 reports of abandoned cars and destroys about 40 a week.

The new proposals will give councils permission to take cars off the road quicker, and also make it more difficult for an owner to not register their vehicle in the first place.

Street Care officer Neville Rainford said: "It is essential to bring in a system to make sure cars have a registered keeper who has tax, MOT and insurance."

Currently, Street Care will place a 14-day notice sticker on a car if it appears abandoned, and then a 7-day notice if there is no response. If nobody then claims the vehicle it is removed.

Coun Naylor is expressing concern because of the lack of a pound in Kingston.

He said: "Kingston doesn't have any off-road facilities to hold cars. Unless we can agree to invest in a pound or share one with another authority it wont make any difference."