New CCTV has been installed near Colwick Loop Road to stop ‘nuisance’ car meets gathering at a retail park in Netherfield. Following a series of incidents where car enthusiasts have gathered at the Victoria Retail Park, a new high-tech, 360-degree viewing camera has been installed near the Sainsburys off Colwick Loop Road.
The camera, funded by the Safer Streets project, comes after residents and businesses shared their concerns about antisocial behaviour, noise and road safety.
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A number of local residents reported to both Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council about dangerous driving, as well as loud noises, such as, 'rumbling engines and screeching tyres'.
Car enthusiasts who attend these unlicensed gatherings at the retail park have been warned they could be prosecuted after the installation of the new camera.
Part of the £3 million Safer Streets fund, secured by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire, Caroline Henry, has been allocated to deter crime in Netherfield and Colwick.
Caroline Henry said: “This funding has allowed us to come together as partner agencies and find a solution to a problem that has caused regular concern for local people in Netherfield and Colwick. Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council have received numerous complaints about loud noise from rumbling engines and screeching tyres, as well as dangerous driving.
“The police and council respond well to these dynamic incidents to disperse them, but this new camera gives and extra tool that they can use to identify those responsible for this criminal or antisocial behaviour and take action. I hope it will also act as a deterrent that will allow local people to feel safer.”
As part of the Safer Streets funding a number of public safety measures have been put in place in Netherfield and Colwick. One of the measures is allowing Gedling Borough Council to hire Safer Streets wardens to patrol the retail park and residential areas.
The funding is also helping businesses on the Victoria Retail Park with a shopwatch radio scheme. This allows the businesses to communicate with each other to alert each other, and the police, to the presence of prolific shoplifters or any other issues.
Both Nottinghamshire Police and Gedling Borough Council are consulting on plans to create a Public Spaces Protection Order, which prohibits car cruisers congregating in the area and gives police powers to issue fines.
Inspector Mark Stanley, Gedling’s Neighbourhood Policing Inspector, said: “We continue to work closely alongside our partners at Gedling Borough Council and the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner to do everything we can to address this issue and make sure the people in our communities feel safe and listened to.
“Nottinghamshire Police’s proactive work to tackle this issue was demonstrated over the weekend when, as part of an ongoing operation in the Colwick area, we seized an Audi S3, issued two Section 59 warnings and two traffic offence reports for antisocial driving.
“Other motorists were dispersed from the area and engaged with. Our weekend operation will also see vehicle owners being written to, warning them of the policing activity in this specific area, to act as a further deterrent.
“Officers will continue to patrol in known hotspot areas, engage with drivers and where necessary take enforcement action against those who break the law and cause antisocial behaviour. We encourage anyone with information about the use of illegal bikes to continue to report these matters to us by calling us on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE said: “I am very pleased that this CCTV camera will be installed and it should reduce the anti-social behaviour caused by recent unauthorised car cruising events.
“We have also taken swift steps to issue a public space prevention order that will effectively ban such events from taking place in the future. We are grateful for the funding from Safer Streets scheme at a time when budgets are being squeezed, and this will be great news for local residents and they should see a big reduction in the problems they have recently had to deal with.”
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