Have your say on proposals to tackle vehicle anti-social behaviour in Great Yarmouth

The council has launched a consultation to gauge public opinion which it will then consider as part of a proposal to amend and extend a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the borough.

There is an existing PSPO which is designed to improve the lives of residents by tackling vehicle-related anti-social behaviour. That order is due for renewal and the council is proposing to enlarge the area it covers to include the whole borough and also introduce new powers including a requirement for those committing anti-social behaviour to leave the location for 12 hours.

A PSPO is one of the powers introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which was established to tackle anti-social behaviour in public places such as car parks, beaches, parks, streets, recreation grounds and play areas.

There are currently three PSPOs in the borough that enable the council - in partnership with the police - to deal with anti-social behaviour around public drinking of alcohol, begging, urinating in public, spitting and riding bikes or e-scooters on paths, vehicles and dog control.

The new order, if adopted, would prohibit anyone from participating in, or encouraging:

·       Driving a motor vehicle at excessive speed causing or being likely to cause a nuisance

·       When driving, causing repeated sudden and rapid acceleration of the vehicle causing or likely to cause a nuisance

·       Racing other motor vehicles

·       Performing stunts, including (but not limited to): wheel spins, doughnutting, drifts and handbrake turns

·       Sound vehicle horns for reasons not listed in the Highway Code

·       Playing amplified music from a motor vehicle likely to cause a nuisance

·       Using loud, threatening, abusive or other intimidating language or behaviour causing or likely to cause a nuisance

·       Dropping litter

·       Unnecessary revving of a motor vehicle which is likely to cause a nuisance

·       Congregating in a group in or around stationary vehicles causing or likely to cause a nuisance

·       Carry out any action not specified above which involves the use of a stationary or moving motor vehicle which causes or is likely to cause a nuisance

If agreed, it would mean those breaching the PSPO could receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 or face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record.  The Police would also be able to exclude a person and or vehicle from a specific designated area for a period of up to 12 hours following the issuing of a breach notification.

The consultation is open until December 19, 2025, and the short survey only takes a few minutes to complete. It can be found online here: https://have-your-say.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/pspo2-vehicles-2025

Hard copies of the survey are available from Town Hall, Hall Plain, Great Yarmouth, NR30 2QF, from 9am until 4.30pm Monday to Friday, except Wednesday when it opens at 10am.