Salvage network to halt vehicle collections to help coronavirus fight

Salvage network e2e said that from Friday, its members will no longer pick up total loss vehicles to comply with the government’s ‘stay at home’ strategy in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

It said the move was ”to keep their staff safe and reflect the national goal to reduce the spread of coronavirus and control the demand on stretched NHS resources”.

It has also partnered with two roadside recovery agents to collect and deliver priority total loss vehicles belonging to keyworkers to member sites in e2e’s network.

It added that member sites would store vehicles free of charge ”until restrictions are lifted and normal business can be resumed”.

”Under this new Emergency Recovery Assistance service, priority vehicles are classified as those relating to key workers or those which are distressed or abandoned or accruing storage charges.

”Vehicles located at home addresses or parked in free storage will not qualify for this service and normal collections by the e2e network will resume once government restrictions have been lifted,” it said.

All auctions have been suspended, and existing e2e networks vehicles listed for auction would be removed by Friday, it added. 

Infected vehicles

It will also implement new processes to allow network members to track vehicles infected or potentially infected by Covid-19 in order to minimise the risk to others. 

Commenting, e2e chief operating officer Neil Joslin said: “The Coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented and the e2e network is united and committed to playing its part in the UK recovery by following the government’s instructions.

”We are a service provider and proud of the service we provide in usual and sometimes unusual circumstances. We will do all we can to reduce unnecessary risk to our people and our clients and to help stop the virus spreading.

”To do otherwise would be irresponsible at best. Needless to say, we are maintaining regular communication with clients, our network members, staff and suppliers throughout these challenging times.”