Mayor Paul Bristow calls for reassurance that PSPO at Peterborough car cruise hotspot will be enforced ‘robustly’

‘Peterborough City Council authorised the implementation of a public space protection order (PSPO) at Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park on July 3.

The order, which will be in place for three years, aims to tackle vehicle-related anti-social behaviour at the car park which has become a hotspot for unauthorised car meets and car cruising events.

Mr Bristow said he’d been contacted by several residents regarding the car meets who told him the disruption caused was “making life intolerable” for them.

“Residents deserve to see swift and visible action"

Ahead of the PSPO being enforced officially on Saturday, July 19, Mr Bristow wrote to Peterborough City Council chief executive Matt Gladstone and Cambridgeshire Police chief inspector Steven Ashton.

He said: “I have been informed that car meets have continued even after the PSPO was announced. Residents want to know what is being done – and rightly expect those new powers to be enforced in full.

“In light of this, I would be grateful if you could confirm that all available powers under the PSPO will be enforced robustly to deter such activity from the moment it becomes active. Residents deserve to see swift and visible action to put a stop to this ongoing nuisance.”

He also noted that residents expressed frustration at being passed between the police and the council when trying to report incidents at the car park.

A PSPO includes conditions which anyone caught breaching can face fines of up to £1,000 or Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

In Peterborough there are currently two area PSPOs – one in the city centre and one covering the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment areas.

“The PSPO will be enforced robustly from the outset"

Chief inspector Ashton said: “We fully acknowledge the impact these gatherings have on the local community, particularly the unacceptable noise and disturbance continuing into the early hours.

“Officers have been out targeting the area of Fair Meadow carpark and a number of section 59 warnings have been issued to drivers about their behaviour.

“The PSPO, which comes into effect this weekend, will be enforced robustly from the outset. Officers across Neighbourhood Policing Team and the wider district have been briefed on the new powers, and both police and council enforcement teams are working in close partnership to ensure a coordinated and visible response.

“We are also working to improve communication with residents and have regular engagement events scheduled on the force website. Tackling the issue remains one of the quarterly priorities for the southern area of Peterborough.

“We’re committed to addressing this issue with the seriousness it deserves. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and ensure that enforcement activity is both proactive and sustained.”

In response to Mr Bristow’s letter, Councillor Alison Jones, cabinet member for housing and communities at the city council, said: “The order officially comes into effect from 9am on Saturday, July 19.

“Signage has been installed at the site and we will be promoting the scheme on our social media accounts.”

She also assured residents that the council will work with police to regularly monitor the area.

Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park is monitored by a council operated CCTV camera and, from April 2023 to November 2024, 32 incidents were logged concerning anti-social or dangerous driving and vehicle-related ASB.

These ranged from large scale car meets of approximately 300 cars to smaller gatherings of vehicles with drivers carrying out stunts such as doughnuts, hand brake turns and other dangerous driving.

Residents say it is still a ‘nightmare’

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Cllr Christian Hogg, represents the Fletton and Stanground ward where the car park is located.

He was also part of a task and finish group set up in late 2020 which examined issues relating to car cruising in Peterborough and recommended a PSPO be implemented at Pleasure Fair Meadow.

Cllr Hogg said: “From what I can gather they are going to be fairly robust in policing it, using 80 per cent neighbourhood policing team and 20 per cent specials to cover the area, specifically Friday nights but also at other times.

“I’ve had some correspondence from residents saying it’s still going on and still a nightmare.

“It’s taken a number of years now to get to this PSPO. I find it quite incredulous that it took so long to get to fruition.

“I’m deeply frustrated by the timeline that’s got us to this point, but we are here now and I want to make sure that this works.”