Fines totalling £1,000 issued as Nottinghamshire police get tough on ‘car cruisers’

Officers have been concerned for some time about regular Sunday evening gatherings off junction 27 of the M1 – where large numbers of modified and high performance vehicles are parked up and driven recklessly around the area.

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In response to complaints of anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving, a Public Space Protection Order has been in place in the area since 2018 – allowing officers to fine drivers, passengers and spectators who gather in the area.

After many weeks of visits to the site where warnings were given, officers returned on Sunday and issued £100 fixed penalty notices to ten different people – five of them to spectators.

And police have warned they will be back this coming weekend and ready to take action.

Sergeant James Flint, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We have been very patient at this site for many weeks now and have spent considerable time engaging with people and explaining the restrictions to them.

“Frankly we could have issued dozens of fines in this time but our focus here isn’t about issuing tickets or making money – it is about public safety and anti-social behaviour.

“Too many of the people who attend these gatherings end up driving in a dangerous, reckless or antisocial manner which poses a hazard to other road users and a noise nuisance to anyone else in the area.

“We have tried very hard in recent weeks to engage with them and to explain what will happen if they continue to congregate at the site.

“We understand that many people are very proud of their vehicles, but these gatherings are a very clear driver of dangerous and reckless driving.

“As such we are now taking very firm steps to dissuade people from taking part or even standing and watching it.

“We’ll be back up there this Sunday and will not hesitate to take similar action again.

“I hope the new ‘rule of six’ Covid regulations will also be uppermost in the minds of any future participants.”

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