RBC calls on Home Secretary for new legislation on car cruising meetings
Last updated: 13/12/2024
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) has called on the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to request that the Government instigates new legislation surrounding car cruising meetings and gatherings.
The Council passed a motion to lobby the central government officials at its Full Council meeting on Thursday (December 5) asking for a legal requirement for organisers to pre-notify the relevant authorities when they are set to meet.
RBC will now write to Yvette Cooper MP and Angela Rayner MP to request further means are put into place to protect the public safety of residents who are affected by the meetings to ensure they are pre notified and approved with the authority of the Police and stakeholder partnerships.
If new rules were implemented, where a car cruising meeting is planned, a failure to make the update could result in any attendee being liable to prosecution or dispersion from a car meet site.
It is also requested that in order to tackle this issue effectively partner organisations including Nottinghamshire Police are given the appropriate tools to tackle any breaches and can apply a simple means of deterrent, dispersal and prosecution.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment & Safety Cllr Rob Inglis said: “The Borough along with other parts of the County is often affected by what are commonly known as car meets or cruisers.
“These gatherings are a cause of significant concern to many residents and constitute Anti-Social Behaviour making them a risk to public safety.
“The current road traffic laws cover some aspects of this issue but are not sufficient in prevention of the problems. Therefore we need the support of central government to give Police, ourselves and partners the right tools to tackle the problem."