NINE tickets handed out to Peterborough anti-social drivers on first day of new order
Nine motorists were hit in the pocket as a new order designed to prevent anti-social driving making residents’ lives a misery.
Saturday (July 19) saw a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) introduced at Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park, at the corner of Oundle Road and Town Bridge.
The order has implemented due to the impact the noise created by boy racers using the car park made the lives of residents living in flats near the car park a nightmare.
On Saturday night, police attended the car park to hand out tickets – and also educate those who were still using the car park.
“We will continue to monitor the situation"
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “Officers gave out nine tickets on Saturday to people breaching a court order concerning anti-social driving.
“They also spoke to others to educate them about the stipulations.
“The Public Space Protection Order covers Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park in Oundle Road and comes after persistent problems with anti-social driving in the area.
“The officers returned to the car park on Sunday, but there was very little activity and no further tickets were issued.
“We’ve been working with partners, including the local authority, concerning the issue and we will continue to monitor the situation.”
Subject to call-in, the PSPO will now be implemented for three years and signage will be installed at Pleasure Fair Meadow car park.
“We have listened to feedback from residents and are taking direct action by setting up a PSPO aimed at tackling crime and improving the quality of life for communities"
When the PSPO was introduced by the city council, Councillor Alison Jones, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “We are fully committed to working with partners, including the police, to keep members of the public safe and develop strong and sustainable communities, which our PSPOs in Peterborough are helping us to achieve.
“In this case, we have listened to feedback from residents and are taking direct action by setting up a PSPO aimed at tackling crime and improving the quality of life for communities within this area of the city."
The car park is monitored by a council operated CCTV camera and from April 2023 to April 2024, 30 incidents relating to car meets, anti-social driving and vehicle related ASB occurring at Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park were reported to the Police.
From May 2024 to mid-November 2024, there has been a further 47 incidents reported regarding groups of vehicles meeting in the car park, anti-social/dangerous driving and collisions. It is also considered that issues relating to vehicle-related nuisance and ASB at Pleasure Fair Meadow and Railworld car parks are under reported.
What does the PSPO say?
The PSPO prohibits ‘Vehicle-related nuisance and anti-social behaviour’ in the car park.
The banned behaviour includes: Causing a danger to other road and car park users including pedestrians or causing a significant risk of damage to property by either speeding or racing; Performing stunts, including doughnuts, handbrake turns, wheelspins and drifting; Repeatedly sounding horns and/or revving of engines, or playing of loud music, and using the internet to promote car cruising in the area. It is also an offence to attend any meeting of two or more vehicles within the defined area of Pleasure Fair Meadow Car Park either as a vehicle owner, driver, passenger or spectator and engaging in any activity that a reasonable person would consider to be “car cruising.”
Anyone caught breaching can face fines of up to £1,000 or Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).