Council cracks down on dangerous car meets with new PSPO

Since January 2025, 60 car meets were reported in Swindon, resulting in several near misses. These gatherings, often held in industrial estates and public spaces, have caused significant disruption to local residents and businesses as well as damage to the local environment.

The new PSPO has been introduced following a public consultation, which saw more than two-thirds of respondents support its introduction. It builds on the Council’s wider efforts to combat anti-social behaviour, including the recent implementation of a separate PSPO covering Swindon town centre and Broadgreen.

The Council has been liaising with Trafford Council in Greater Manchester, which has experienced similar issues with unauthorised car meets.

Councillor Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships said, “This new PSPO is a vital step in our work to make Swindon safer for everyone. Unauthorised car meets cause real harm and disruption to communities by putting lives at risk and damaging our environment.

"Tackling anti-social behaviour will help us build a fairer Swindon and this new order builds on our wider work to protect public spaces, support residents and ensure that everyone feels safe where they live and work. Working with our partners in the Police, we will not hesitate to use these powers to hold those responsible to account.”

Inspector Joe Senior, based in Swindon, said: “We appreciate the significant distress that unauthorised car meets can have on local residents and we welcome these additional powers.

“Unauthorised car meets are a drain on police resources and a source of community complaints and we have seen examples of dangerous driving endangering other road users at previous car meets.

“This PSPO has been introduced following extensive consultation with our partners and local community and we will seek to use these additional powers whenever appropriate.”

The new PSPO now gives enforcement officers clear powers to prevent and respond to unauthorised car meets, helping to protect the community and local environment. It follows the implementation of targeted operations and additional resources by both the Council and Wiltshire Police to address the issue.

Under the PSPO, it is now illegal to:

• organise, promote, or attend unauthorised car meets
• travel to such events in a vehicle taking part or attending
• allow a vehicle to be used in or parked for the purpose of an unauthorised car meet or spectating

Wiltshire Police and designated officers from Swindon Borough Council are actively enforcing the PSPO. Anyone found breaching the order may receive a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100, reduced to £75 if paid within 14 days. Evidence is collected via patrols, CCTV and body-worn cameras.

Clear signage has been installed across the Borough in hotspot areas to mark PSPO zones. Hot spot areas include, Ashworth Road, Ramsden Road, Kembrey Street, Elgin Drive, Stirling Road - South Marston Ind Est, Edison Road - Dorcan Ind Est and Newcombe Drive - Hawksworth.

Residents are encouraged to report any suspected unauthorised car meets directly to Wiltshire Police.