Cllr Rachael Robathan has once again called on Westminster’s Labour administration to act swiftly against the growing problem of illegal car meets and high-speed stunts across Knightsbridge, St James’s, and the West End.
Despite the introduction of PSPOs in 2021 and hundreds of fines issued, the issue persists, putting residents, visitors, and local businesses at risk. Impact statements collected with the Metropolitan Police and major institutions like the Royal Albert Hall have been sitting with legal officers for months.
Watch Cllr Robathan hold Labour to account and read the transcript below.
Cllr Rachael Robathan (Conservative, Knightsbridge & Belgravia):
As you know, almost every weekend hundreds of cars from across the country come into central London—especially Knightsbridge in my ward, St James’s, and the West End—to carry out high-speed car chases, dangerous stunts, donuts and other reckless behaviour.
Last summer, I worked closely with the police to collect impact statements from across the city, including from organisations such as the Royal Albert Hall and Imperial College. This was so we could apply for an injunction, as Enfield has done, to make these car meets illegal and stamp them out of Westminster.
Could you update me on the timing of where things stand with that injunction?
Cllr Aicha Less (Labour):
We continue to enforce existing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) along Exhibition Road, Pall Mall, and Waterloo Place. I completely agree — it’s a nuisance and it’s awful. We issued 393 penalty notices last year under these powers. The PSPOs will run for three years and can be renewed if necessary.
I understand your residents’ and businesses’ frustrations. I’ll come back to you with the timelines on the injunction. I share your frustration — I’ve raised this repeatedly over the past year, yet these car meets continue to put residents and visitors at risk.
Cllr Rachael Robathan:
The PSPOs I introduced in 2021 are unfortunately having only limited impact. The impact statements have been sitting with legal for five months. When will we apply for the injunction that would allow the police to properly enforce and stop this menace, keeping our residents safe?
Cllr Aicha Less:
As you know, Councillor Robathan, that stretch of road is split between Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as well as the police. I’ll come back to you with a firm date and timeline on the injunction.
Westminster Conservatives are committed to delivering decisive action for local people.
Cllr Robathan said:
“Residents deserve peace and safety, not revving engines and dangerous speeding outside their homes.”
Westminster Conservatives are urging the Council to move forward now with an injunction, as other boroughs have successfully done, and protect Westminster’s world-famous streets from this ongoing menace.
