A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is to be introduced at Pleasure Fair Meadow car park in Peterborough to tackle vehicle-related anti-social behaviour there.
In recent years the area has become a hotspot for unauthorised car meets and car cruising events, with the council receiving several reports from nearby residents impacted by persistent noise, smoke and odours as well as littering.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Picture by Terry Harris.
Local Authorities have powers under the Crime and Policing Act 2014 to set up PSPOs to tackle issues which are having a detrimental effect on people’s lives. A PSPO includes conditions which anyone caught breaching can face fines of up to £1,000 or Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).
The PSPO for Pleasure Fair Meadow car park includes several conditions aimed at preventing ‘vehicle-related nuisance and anti-social behaviour’ and performing a range of activities in the area. To view the PSPO conditions in full visit here.
A public consultation over the plans took place earlier this year, with 169 responses being received. A total of 151 responses (89%) were in support of the PSPO, with many comments highlighting the negative effect that the issues are having on people’s sleep and mental health.
Subject to call-in, the PSPO will now be implemented for three years and signage will be installed at Pleasure Fair Meadow car park.
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.
In Peterborough there are currently two area PSPOs – one in the city centre and one covering the Millfield, New England, Eastfield and Embankment areas. There are also six PSPOs which are for the gating of alleyways that have previously experienced significant anti-social behaviour which has had a detrimental impact on communities.
