Peterborough residents say ‘enough is enough’ after drug taking and anti social behaviour blights street

Residents living in Cobden Street in Peterborough have said they are fed up with used needles being left in the street and other issues related to drug users.

At a street meeting with police and Peterborough MP Paul Bristow, residents said sometimes there were meetings of up to 20 drug addicts in the street, with families saying they were scared to let children use the play park because of the issues.

Following the meeting, Mr Bristow said: “ I was shown evidence of drug talking, litter and fly tipping, and street drinking.

“Enough is enough. We need to say no more as a City to the drug dealers who live in our community, and those who turn our neighbourhoods into dumping grounds.

“I shall organise a meeting with the police, the council, local voluntary organisations, and Cross Keys Homes to get on top of these issues.

“I want to see initiatives to:

“Design out crime in estates and streets through cutting off access and changing through routes.

“Get rid of overgrown bushes and vegetation that hide crime hot spots and rough sleeping.

“Look at CCTV and other measures to deter crime.

“Have more police patrols and intelligence led policing in these neighbourhoods.

“Ensure vulnerable people exploited by drug dealers are given the necessary support.

“Send a clear zero-tolerance message that everyone can deliver - the council, the police, and the community!”

He has now sent a letter to Peterborough City Council chief executive Gillian Beasley about the matter.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “We are aware of the issues residents have raised, such as drug activity and dealing, rough sleepers and general upkeep and maintenance of the area.

“We are working with partners, such as the local authority and the local MP, to address these.

“Dedicated patrols have taken place and officers have listened to residents’ concerns to build a problem-solving approach to tackling the issues.

“Tackling drugs is a force priority and recent work by officers to tackle this has included a month-long operation in the city which 26 arrests were made.

“We would strongly urge residents to report anything suspicious in the area to us, including drug activity and drug dealing.

“The more information we have, the better picture we can build and the more efficient we can be at targeting those responsible.

“People can report any suspicious activity online via www.cambs.police.uk/report or via our web-chat on the force website.

“More information and advice about drug dealing can be found on the force’s dedicated web page at https://www.cambs.police.uk/A-Z/Drug-dealing”