Medway Council introduce fines for drivers of nuisance vehicles

The authority says those caught could also be named and shamed in time. The Public Space Protection Order is for the whole of Medway.

Transcript

00:00 They're in our car parks, streets and wrecks but Medway Council says they're

00:05 cracking down on nuisance vehicles. At these playing fields in Chatham

00:09 residents say there's a problem with people riding motorbikes illegally.

00:14 "Yeah I just worry about my safety and the safety of my dog and not only that

00:18 sometimes I come over here with my granddaughter and she's only three and

00:21 then I have to worry about her as well." "I did at one point stop coming to this

00:26 field to walk the dog. The noise is just really annoying. You could be peacefully

00:30 walking your dog and you just hear a 'roar'." "I don't like to see them ripping up the

00:34 football pitches or going anywhere near people with dogs in there." "Sometimes it

00:39 can get a bit out of hand, sometimes they're a little bit self-centered but

00:43 generally speaking most of the ones I've come across have been not too bad."

00:47 Our cameras didn't catch any today but an ex-account keeps track of their presence

00:51 but we did see these dumped bikes pass us by saying where they've only been

00:56 here for a few weeks. "Now this is one of two burnt out motorbikes on the

01:02 recreational ground and this comes with a license plate as well which we're not

01:06 going to show to you but I have checked it and there is no MOT and the tax ran

01:12 out last May." At the start of April Medway Council introduced a public space

01:17 protection order. Anybody caught cruising, going to car meets or riding

01:21 illegally could face a £100 fine and be taken to court. "So it will be

01:28 effective, we will see increased number of fines, I've made that public pledge, we

01:33 will work in partnership with the police, you'll see hopefully a naming and

01:36 shaming of key people who've been doing this as well so that we can get that

01:40 culture in the community that people who do this behaviour will be challenged. Do

01:44 I think this is a magic pill that will sort the problem out tomorrow? I am

01:48 assured that that won't happen. This is going to be a long-term change in

01:52 culture that is needed around vehicles and how we use them on our public space."

01:56 But it's taken a year for the Unitary Council to bring in these powers

02:01 following a consultation last year. "This was initiated by the Conservative and

02:06 last Conservative administration well before the local election last February

02:09 went to consultation. We thought we would have had this in place a long time ago

02:12 you know but you know I'm glad it's here now I mean it's better late than never

02:17 but it's taking too long, too long." Residents at this wreck say they've seen

02:21 these powers before but nothing for decades has stopped the bikes. But with

02:27 further enforcement officers being trained Medway Council hopes this will

02:30 make a difference. Gabriel Morris in Medway.