A growing spate of car fires has led a senior firefighter to urge Bradford Council to remove abandoned vehicles more quickly.

Leading firefighter Trevor Wainwright said action was needed to allow crews to focus on more urgent incidents.

He was speaking after a crew from Idle fire station was called to an abandoned car fire in Thorpe Edge, where residents said they had repeatedly complained about the vehicle.

West Yorkshire Fire Service figures show there were around 26 vehicle fires a week last year - a level which has risen to more than 30 a week so far in 2001.

Mr Wainwright said: "These fires could be prevented by the Council getting these cars removed.

"For me, it's a waste of fire brigade resources. Once we get to the fire we cannot turn back to something that could be far more important."

Councillor John Ruding, a West Yorkshire fireman and the Labour group's lead member on community safety, said the problem was down to Government legislation.

He said: "Something we as a Council have been looking at is how to speed up the time between an abandoned vehicle being reported to us and taking it away.

"It really is a massive problem and it's a huge resource nightmare for the brigade."

A spokesman for the Council's cleansing department said: "Burned-out cars are often stolen and a matter for the police.

"The Council only removes abandoned vehicles if the police have been unable to trace the owner.

"A seven-day notice is placed on the vehicle and if the owner has not contacted our office it is removed by contractors." He added the Council removed between 40 and 50 abandoned vehicles a month.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said it was mostly successful in tracing owners of cars and occasionally called on the Council to help out.

This week Prime Minister Tony Blair announced plans to reduce the time it takes local authorities to remove abandoned cars as part of his war on 'yob culture'.

Pilot schemes will be set up in London to study the scope for local authorities to wheel-clamp abandoned vehicles and remove them within 24 hours.

l As part of the same attack on yob culture, Keith Hammerton, Bradford Council's graffiti removal manager, said he was in favour of vandals being made to remove their work.

But he added: "It's not often that you catch the culprits in the act. The organised graffiti crews have look-outs who raise the alarm before you get hold of them.

"But in the right circumstances I'd be more than in favour of them being made to remove their work because I think it's a good lesson."