Solihull gets banning order against car-cruisers
Solihull Council has today (18th August) been granted a borough-wide ban on motor vehicle racing – covering car-cruises including motor bikes.
The council has been driven to seek these legal powers from the High Court in Birmingham following many years of anti-social behaviour and extremely dangerous driving.
Since 2006 the car-cruise events have been causing significant problems for local residents, businesses and road users from motor bikes, groups of ‘modded’ car owners and spectators in a variety of locations across the borough.
Solihull Council has worked closely with the police, landowners, residents and businesses to try anything to stop these events taking place or close them down quickly.
However, the powers available to the council and the police prior to this injunction could only deal with individual acts of dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour – and were therefore difficult to apply to large groups participating.
With this injunction in place, drivers and their passengers participating in car-cruising or racing motor bikes can be arrested and could go to jail.
The injunction also includes spectators and anyone else involved in or promoting these activities – it will come into force on 1st September 2016.
Councillor Tony Dicicco, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: “I am really pleased to hear we have been successful in the High Court.
“This injunction will allow us to deal with our car-cruising and motor bike issues in a much more straightforward way.
“Now it is banned, anyone taking part, promoting or watching a car-cruising event or racing or driving motor cycles is in contempt of court.
“It sends a clear message to the car-cruisers; don’t come to Solihull if you want to stay out of prison.
“And to motor cyclists and those with quad bikes, to use them responsibly.
“We didn’t seek these wide-ranging legal powers lightly. But all our efforts have not curtailed this anti-social behaviour.
“This injunction is a powerful determent to anyone thinking about setting-up or being involved, in any way, with a car-cruise event.
“It is clear that those taking part in these events and their spectators, simply don’t care about the affect their actions have on the people of Solihull. Their behaviour is appalling and the stunts and racing is terrifying for other road users.
“Car-cruising is not some harmless pastime, as some of its supposedly responsible proponents suggest.
“The events are blighting the lives of many or our residents, causing damage to businesses and they usually result in the council or landowners having to clean up the mess spectators leave.
“They also take up valuable police time that could be used keeping our communities safe.
“Solihull has said enough is enough and now we have the legal powers to make it stick”
Anyone concerned about car-cruising or anti-social motor bike activities should call the police on:
101 quoting Operation Kickstart
Or speak to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111
There is also an option to provide information via the Safer Solihull website: https://eservices.solihull.gov.uk/SMBCWebForms/?Form=Intel_Public
Read more: http://www.solihull.gov.uk/news/ArtMID/820/ArticleID/1361/Solihull-gets-banning-order-against-car-cruisers