Car cruising - do Public Space Protection Orders make any difference?

[johncrossley]

Street racing or "car cruising" is prohibited in many towns across the country through Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). Do these make any difference? Would offenders go to the trouble of moving their street races to a neighbouring town which has yet to apply for a PSPO? Why are PSPOs even necessary? Surely street racing on public roads should be an offence anyway?

 

[SargeNpton]

Car Cruising is not necessarily racing in the legal sense.

My understanding is that the PSPOs allow police to move on not just the drivers but the spectators - and to arrest them if they fail to comply with that request.

 

[sprunt]

Why are PSPOs even necessary? Surely street racing on public roads should be an offence anyway?

It is an offence, viewed as one of the most serious traffic offences I think.

(Obviously, there are provisions for motorsport organisations to get permission to close roads and organise races on them.)

Road Traffic Act 1988

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to road traffic with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

www.legislation.gov.uk

I suspect the PSPOs are an attempt to stop the races happening, rather than just pick up the pieces afterwards.

 

[matt_world2004]

It is an offence, viewed as one of the most serious traffic offences I think.

(Obviously, there are provisions for motorsport organisations to get permission to close roads and organise races on them.)

Road Traffic Act 1988

An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to road traffic with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

www.legislation.gov.uk

I suspect the PSPOs are an attempt to stop the races happening, rather than just pick up the pieces afterwards.

It's an offence to drive a car in a street race. But not an offence to watch. PSPOs can criminalise watching