Clampdown on West Midlands car cruising

Interim injunctions in Birmingham and the Black Country extended

A high court order banning street cruising in the West Midlands will stay in force until trial on 15 May 2023 after a review of the order was heard at the Birmingham High Court .

On 13 February the court granted applications by Birmingham City Council and one led by Wolverhampton City Council on behalf of local authorities in the Black Country. The Black Country area includes all of the Boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall.

The interim injunction forbids anyone who is a driver, rider or passenger in or on a motor vehicle to participate between the hours of 3pm and 7am in a gathering of two or more persons at which some of those present engage in motor racing or motor stunts or other dangerous or obstructive driving. For the purposes of the injunctions, stunts are defined as driving manoeuvres often undertaken at such gatherings including but not limited to:

• “Burnouts”: Causing a vehicle to destroy its tyres by applying power to the drive wheels while braking so as to remain in place while the wheels revolve at speed

• “Donuts/Donutting”: Causing a vehicle to rotate around a fixed point (normally the front axle) while not moving-off causing noise, smoke and tyre marks to be created

• “Drifting”: Turning by placing the vehicle in a skid so that most sideways motion is due to the skid not any significant steering input

• “Undertaking”: Passing a vehicle on its nearside so as to overtake in circumstances not permitted by the Highway Code.

The injunctions have a Power of Arrest attached to it which gives the police the power to detain anyone who breaches it. Breach of an injunction is a contempt to court and, if proved, the court has the power to impose a sentence of imprisonment, fine, or an order seizing a person’s assets.

Cllr

John Cotton, Birmingham’s

Stevenage car cruising injunction extended

An injunction banning car cruise events in a town where 17 spectators were injured in a collision has been extended for five more years.

Stevenage Borough Council was first granted an injunction in 2019 after the crash on Monkswood Way in July.

The new injunction to ban car cruising in Stevenage has been granted for a further five years, coming into force on Monday 6 February.

Stevenage Borough Council and Herts Police attended Luton County Court on Wednesday after an application to continue to stop car cruising and the associate nuisance in the borough.

The injunction, which has a power of arrest attached, was granted for a period of five years, until 2028.

The following activities are subject to restrictions in the district of Stevenage:

• Drive at excessive speed, or otherwise dangerously cabinet member for social Justice, community safety and equalities, said: “Street cruising is dangerous as well as being a nuisance for law-abiding citizens. By working with our partners at the police on applying for this injunction, we have shown we understand and share the continued concerns raised by many residents, about this antisocial and life-threatening behaviour.

“Past court action shows that we won’t hesitate to ensure justice is served upon offenders, who have no excuse for their actions. There are plenty of lawful ways to exhibit and demonstrate their vehicles – but our roads are not the place for it.”

Although the application for this order has been made by Birmingham City Council’s Community Safety Team, officers from West Midlands Police will be responsible for its enforcement.

Chief Superintendent Ian Green from West Midlands Police, said: “We have been working jointly with all local authorities over the past few years and are determined to tackle dangerous and reckless driving which puts the safety of others and themselves at risk.

“Alongside our partners we do not tolerate illegal car gatherings due to the danger and nuisance they create to communities and the wider public going about their lives. We have officers dedicated to addressing the issue from both neighbourhood teams and specialist traffic resources, who are also working with the insurance industry and providing diversionary and educational courses.”

• Driving in convoy

• Racing against other motor vehicles

• Performing stunts in or on motor vehicles

• Sounding horns or playing radios

• Dropping litter

• Supplying or using illegal drugs

• Urinating in public

• Shouting or abusing, threatening, or otherwise intimidating another person

• Obstruction of any other road user.

Leader of the council, Cllr Richard Henry, said: “We’re pleased that the injunction to ban car cruising will be granted for a further five years, protecting our residents from this dangerous and highly disruptive behaviour.

“We have worked with our partner organisations including Stevenage Police to make this happen and we thank them for their support. The court’s decision means that the problem can continue to be controlled over the long-term, and that participating, organising and promoting car cruising will continue to be prohibited in Stevenage going forward.”

In 2021 Dominic Brown, from St Albans, and Julian Castano Perez, from Dunmow in Essex, were jailed following the crash on 18 July 2019. Both pleaded guilty to eight charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and 11 of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving. Sentencing the pair, Judge Michael Kay said they had shown an “idiotic desire to show off”. The judge said car cruise events should be banned to avoid more “scenes of carnage” as there was a risk “people will die and be injured”.

Responding to the new injunction, Chief Inspector for Stevenage Graeme Walsingham said: “We have been working in partnership with Stevenage Borough Council to make sure we do not see a repeat of the horrific collision that occurred after that cruise event in 2019.

“As a result of the injunction extension, we continue to have powers to prevent the kind of activity that caused the incident, and we will take swift action against those that ignore this legislation. My officers will continue to patrol hot spot locations and deal robustly with those people who flout these new rules.”