A PUBLIC consultation has launched on a proposal to renew a ‘car cruising’ Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for three more years in Wokingham Borough.
A four-week consultation opened on Tuesday, October 7 and runs until Sunday, November 2 Borough residents are encouraged to comment and have their say
A renewed order would extend an identical, existing PSPO which, since 2022, has reduced reported incidents of car cruising in the borough by 41% annually.
An updated PSPO would continue to grant the council and Thames Valley Police powers to tackle dangerous and anti-social behaviour, in relation to the issue, and support
the four pillars of the council’s 2025-30 plan for a fair, green, safe and connected borough.
“We all have a right to live in a safe place and borough,” said Cllr Lou Timlin, the executive memb
er for Community Safety and Public Protection.
“The behaviour of a very few can fail to respect that.
“We’ve seen here how effective a tool a Public Spaces Protection Order has been, addressing this problem in the last three years.
“As a council, we saw and we continue to see the weight of feeling and complaints from our residents, whose quality of life is significantly negatively impacted by this issue.
“In that light, instances of this anti- social behaviour cannot be left unchallenged by powers which are potentially available to us.”
‘Car cruising’ describes drivers who meet to race or to show off their vehicles.
PSPOs tackle anti-social behaviour associated with this, which includes dangerous driving,
racing, and aggressive acceleration and braking.
There have been three hotspots for car cruising in the borough: Thames Valley Business Park in Woodley; Carnival Pool Car Park in Wokingham town; and Mereoak Park and Ride near Three Mile Cross.
Failing to comply with a Car Cruising Public Spaces Protection Order includes:
Causing danger or risk of injury to road users, including pedestrians,
Causing damage or risk of damage to property,
Aggressive acceleration, braking or racing,
Skidding, handbrake turns and drifting,
Excessive engine revving,sounding horns or playing music,
Using foul or abusive language, and/or threatening or intimidating behaviour,
And causing obstruction, whether stationary or moving.
It is also an offence to organise, publicise or attend an event where such activities take place and can incur a fine of up to £1,000.
When residents were previously consulted in 2022 on the original proposed PSPO, 75% said they would support its introduction in the borough.
Under the resulting order, more than half of reported incidents of dangerous and anti-social behaviour, in relation to car cruising, resulted in offenders receiving a fixed penalty notice of up to £100.
Notably, nobody who received a fixed penalty notice was caught reoffending in relation to car cruising.
Over the last three years 144 incidents of car cruising (48 per year, on average) have been reported to the council or Thames Valley Police, and 73 fixed penalty notices have been issued.
Previously, from January 2021 to January 2022, a higher annual rate of 82 incidents was reported.
To respond to the consultation, people should visit (before Sunday, November 2): engage.wokingham.gov.ukand search for ‘car cruising’.
For information on the council’s 2025-30 plan, log onto: wokingham.gov.ukand search for ‘plan 25 to 30’.
