Warning over unlicensed car meets planned in Wiltshire

Police are warning anti-social motorists they'll be taking a robust stance against unlicensed car meets that cause a nuisance and disturbance for communities.

A number of events are planned to take place across Wiltshire.

Sergeant Georgina Romani, from Wiltshire Police, said everyone needed to be aware of the impact their behaviour could have on others.

She said: “We are facing an increased demand on our service over the summer months and we don’t want to spoil people’s fun simply for the sake of it.

“I know that car enthusiasts have been unable to hold their usual events over the past 18 months or so, and that they are keen to finally meet up with each other.

“However, we cannot ignore the fact that some of these car meets are very anti-social and have a negative impact on our communities.

“A recent event in Swindon caused a huge amount of problems for locals, who were upset by the noise and traffic disruption, as well as raising safety concerns about the manner of driving displayed.

“Therefore, I want to make it clear that we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and we will be taking action against those who gather at these large-scale unlicensed events. Also, this will be a consistent approach across all areas of Swindon and Wiltshire.”

Police have a number of powers at their disposal to break up these sorts of events, including using a Section 35 dispersal notice which orders people to leave the area and allows officers to arrest those who fail to comply.

Forces can also consider applying for specific injunctions to prevent car meets taking place.

If you have information about a planned or ongoing anti-social car meet, which is causing a nuisance or disruption, you can report it by going online.

You can also call 101, or 999 if a crime is in progress.

• cars
• wiltshire
• Police