South Norfolk Council agrees Public Spaces Protection Order to combat ‘dangerous’ car activities

South Norfolk Council is putting the brakes on dangerous drag race-style events which have blighted rural communities in recent months.

The council has agreed to give extraordinary powers to police as part of an effort to tackle reckless and noisy drivers.

The Conservative-led authority has agreed to implement a district-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which will ban anti-social activities such as drag-racing, revving of engines, loud music, wheelspins and doughnuts.

Anyone who breaches the PSPO could be fined £100. Enforcement will be handled by police and council officers.

While the PSPO will apply to the whole of the district, officials singled out Diss and Harleston as areas that have had “serious and repeated anti-social behaviour” issues.

A report to a recent meeting of the council’s cabinet said some of the events that have disrupted towns in the district have been attended by upwards of 100 vehicles. These have included:

►Drag-style street racing which has involved illegal road closures and pose a risk of injury to spectators and crashes

►Stunt driving, doughnuts, burn-outs, and drifting

►Excessive engine revving and noise

►Vehicles being driven in race-style ‘circuits’ along town and village routes.

The PSPO will stay in place for three years.