vehicular

Consultation dates: Monday 11 August to Friday 29 August 2025

Colchester City Council intends to renew the Vehicular Nuisance Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). Any representations should be submitted via our online form or by emailing asb@colchester.gov.uk. If approved, the PSPO would cover the restricted area for three years.

Have your say

Please send all comments and feedback via our online form or email asb@colchester.gov.uk by Friday 29 August 2025, 12:00pm.

Why we’re proposing renewal

The renewal follows complaints to both the Council and the Police from residents and visitors about antisocial behaviour, including:

• Participating in, organising, promoting or publicising car meets (formally or informally). Revving vehicle engines in a manner likely to cause nuisance or annoyance.
• Sounding vehicle horns unnecessarily or excessively.
• Playing amplified music from a vehicle or portable sound system at a volume likely to cause annoyance.
• Dangerous or nuisance driving, including:
  • Excessive acceleration or braking;
  • Racing or convoy driving; performing stunts such as doughnuts, drifting or burnouts.
• Congregating in a manner likely to cause excess noise, intimidation, harassment or alarm to other members of the public.
• Littering, urinating in public, or any other conduct resulting in environmental damage or public disorder associated with a car meet.

Proposed prohibitions

1. Dangerous or anti-social driving: Racing, excessive speed, rapid acceleration or braking, engine revving, and performing stunts (e.g. doughnuts, drifting, skidding, wheel-spinning) that cause nuisance or endanger public safety are prohibited.
2. Excessive noise and emissions: Creating excessive noise or emissions—such as unnecessary horn sounding, loud amplified music from vehicles or portable devices, or excessive exhaust fumes—likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress is prohibited.
3. Nuisance congregation: Organising, promoting, publicising or participating in any car meet or similar vehicle gathering within the Restricted Area is prohibited. This includes loitering in or around stationary vehicles where this causes (or is likely to cause) noise, fumes, annoyance or disturbance to others in the vicinity.
4. Environmental damage and misuse of public spaces: Causing environmental damage (including littering or fly-tipping) arising from car-cruising activity, or using car parks and other public spaces in ways inconsistent with their intended use (e.g. as gathering spots for racing, stunts or unauthorised meets) is prohibited.

Additional requirements (Section 59(4))

1. Disperse when directed: You must leave the area immediately when instructed by a police officer, PCSO or authorised council officer and must not return to the same location within a period specified by the officer (up to 24 hours).
2. Switch off engines and music when stationary: Drivers must switch off engines and any amplified music or sound systems when vehicles are parked or stationary in public spaces, unless lawfully required (e.g. queuing in traffic).
3. Dispose of waste responsibly: All individuals must place litter/waste in bins or remove it from the area. Dumping rubbish, car parts or food packaging in public spaces is prohibited.
4. Comply with officer instructions: You must comply with any reasonable direction given by police, PCSOs or authorised council officers to reduce nuisance, prevent antisocial behaviour or mitigate environmental damage.

Offences and penalties

Failure without reasonable excuse to comply with the PSPO’s prohibitions or requirements is a summary offence under Section 67 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. A person guilty of an offence under Section 67 is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 3 on the standard scale.

Restricted Area

The activities described above would be prohibited within the Restricted Area (marked in red).