Scarborough Car Cruising: Council consultation on ban extension comes to an end next week

A shredded tyre found on Royal Albert Drive following the Static Royal car event in February 2020.

Scarborough Council is inviting people to give their feedback on the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) which was adopted in 2018 following a number of incidents in past years.

Car Cruising is where enthusiasts meet up in large numbers and travel to a set location to show off their vehicles. One of the largest events to come to Scarborough saw 500 cars descend on Marine Drive and Royal Albert Drive in the town’s North Bay.

Car cruises to Scarborough seafront had been a common sight in the town for many years but relations between the clubs and North Yorkshire Police and Scarborough Council soured in 2017 after £50,000 worth of damage was caused to Royal Albert Drive following an event.

Car cruise events have been banned in the town since 2018 after significant damage was caused to Royal Albert Drive in 2017.

The then newly resurfaced road was left shredded with melted rubber stuck to the tarmac near the Oasis Cafe after a driver “burnt out” their tyres, the driver was later prosecuted.

The following year the PSPO was brought in and cruises have since been banned.

Last month, Scarborough Borough Council started a five-week consultation on the review of the current Car Cruising PSPO which is due to expire later this year.

The PSPO was brought in following fears that the number of cars posed a risk to pedestrians and also that some participants were speeding and creating a disturbance through spinning tyres, revving engines and playing music.

The PSPO makes it an offence for a person to take part in, attend or even promote a car cruise, without a reasonable excuse. Fines of up to £1,000 can be handed out to anyone breaking the order. It means any driver in a group of two or more who is posing a risk to other road users, playing loud music or is deemed to be taking part in anti-social behaviour could fall foul of the legislation.

Planned events with written permission from the authorities can still take place.

The council consultation document concludes: “It is the view of North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire County Council and Scarborough Borough Council that the PSPO needs extending in order to prevent the recurrence of the significant issues caused by this activity prior to the current PSPO being implemented in 2018.”

To take part in the consultation, which closes on Monday, visit www.scarborough.gov.uk/public-space-protection-order-pspo-car-cruising