Dispersal order to stop Peterborough boy racers to be put in place

The measure has been taken by the local policing team in response to information about a large car meet up in the city.

The order, which enables police to move people on from an area where they suspect their behaviour is anti-social, will be in place initially between 6pm on Friday (6 September) and 10am on Sunday (8 September).

The authority covers the area encompassed by Paston Parkway, Lincoln Road, Hurn Road, Castor Road, Marholm Road, Soke Parkway, Nene Parkway, Oundle Road, A1, Fletton Parkway, Frank Perkins Parkway, Fengate, Newark Road, Oxney Road, Parnwell Way and back onto Paston Parkway.

Police have issued a number of dispersal orders in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire over the summer to tackle nuisance driving.

The order has been granted under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and allows for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and police officers to direct a person to leave the area specified within the order if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that their behaviour has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public. Failure to comply with the order can result in arrest.

Inspector Karl Secker said: “We are aware of the planned car cruise on Friday evening. Whilst it has been advertised as a static meet which is not an offence, the behaviour of some individuals following the initial gatherings leads to increased risk of injury to both members of the public and spectators.

“Therefore this dispersal order will allow us to take positive action should the meet turn into drifting or anti-social behaviour.

“At the last car meet on 24 August, the car meet itself didn’t have many issues but we had calls about drifting and racing throughout Peterborough from ‘splinter’ groups.

“Not only does this activity cause distress to residents and disruption to local businesses but it is incredibly dangerous.

“This dispersal order gives us the power to make those causing the anti-social behaviour to leave the area with immediate effect and not to return within a specified period.

“Additionally if we believe a vehicle may be used to commit anti-social behaviour we have the power to seize the keys for the entire dispersal period.”