Chance to have your say as councils and police push to renew car cruising ban

Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall councils, working in partnership with West Midlands Police, are returning to the High Court on May 13 to seek a new injunction banning car cruising in the region.

The hearing will take place remotely because of coronavirus restrictions.

People are invited to submit comments and observations regarding car cruising and the application for a new injunction by emailing litigation@wolverhampton.gov.uk by 4pm on Tuesday, May 4. Comments received will be presented as evidence to the High Court.

Served against "persons unknown", the injunction, if granted, will forbid people from participating in, attending, promoting, organising or publicising a car cruise event.

Anyone ignoring the injunction may be arrested, face penalties such as up to two years' imprisonment or an unlimited fine, or have their assets seized.

For the purposes of the application, car cruising is defined as the act of drivers of cars, motorbikes or quadbikes meeting to race or show off in their vehicles.

The proposed injunction would replace one which expired in February.

It had been in force for six years and was believed to have helped dramatically reduce instances of car cruising across the Black Country during that time.

Similar injunctions are in force in other parts of the West Midlands and surrounding areas.

David Pattison,Wolverhampton Council’s director of governance, said: “The previous Black Country-wide injunction proved incredibly effective in reducing instances of car cruising across the region. However, the problem still persists in some areas, and has started to grow again since the original injunction expired.

"It is important that the authorities have the powers they need to crack down on car cruising as and when it occurs and so we are naturally keen to see this new injunction granted by the High Court, which will then be introduced as soon as possible.

“This month's hearing will be held remotely, so we are inviting people who wish to submit comments and observations for consideration by the court to do so electronically by emailing litigation@wolverhampton.gov.uk by 4pm on Tuesday.”

The application is led by Wolverhampton Council on behalf of the four Black Country local authorities and West Midlands Police.