Castle Donington
CAR-CRUISING ACTION.
Legal action is being proposed to deal with so-called “boy racers” who have upset local residents and businesses by car-cruising in the Castle Donington area.
For some time residents have been complaining about youngsters congregating and racing on the new relief road and the surrounding industrial estate.
Towards the end of last year police from North West Leicestershire seized a vehicle under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act.
Two vehicles were also dealt with by the police earlier in November along with another incident when 28 vehicles were dealt with by local police.
The police action was in response to local residents’ concerns about the vehiclerelated anti-social behaviour.
The Police Beat Team, response officers and road traffic police have continued to focus on the area to stop any future incidents but the problem has not gone away.
Now Castle Donington Parish Council and the Police are consulting with local residents and businesses to consider the need for a Public Space Protection Order to stop any future disturbances.
Car cruising is defined as a congregation of drivers and passengers of two or more vehicles, including motor cycles and quad bikes, who at any time within a restricted area engage in activities which result in excessive noise, dangers to other road users, damage to property, litter, driving an excessive speed, driving in convoy, racing other motor vehicles, performing stunts such as drifting, wheel spins, handbrake turns and wheelies, sounding horns or playing radios and shouting, swearing and using abusive language.
The Parish Council says the car cruisers are “not only causing considerable noise disturbance, environmental damage and disruption to business premises but it is considered extremely dangerous to anyone in the area.”
The area of the proposed Public Space Protection Order includes Sawley Junction, Trent Lane, Station Road, Broad Rushes, Arundel Avenue, West Meadow Rise, Short Lane, the Western Relief Road, Hill Top and Diseworth Road.
If it was implemented, the proposed order would operate initially for three years and offenders would face fixed penalty fines.
The consultation about the proposed Public Space Protection Order runs until February 21, 2021.