Kensington and Chelsea Council wins High Court injunction to stop late-night car meets
Residents in five wards can now report dangerous driving gatherings between 6pm and 7am for police action
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Only a council councillor is named; no document or multiple sources cited.
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Headline is mildly sensational; article lacks depth beyond the injunction announcement.
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Residents in six central London wards will no longer have to endure late-night car meets after Kensington and Chelsea Council secured a High Court injunction. The order, granted with support from the Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council, targets gatherings where drivers race, perform stunts or rev engines between 6pm and 7am.
The injunction covers highways and public spaces in Hyde Park, St James’s, West End, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Brompton and Hans Town wards. It explicitly bans organising, promoting, attending or participating in car meets that involve dangerous or obstructive driving. Police can now use CCTV footage, social media posts or witness statements to prove breaches.
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Why the injunction was sought
Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Kensington and Chelsea’s lead member for resident services, planning and enforcement, said the meets were not harmless. He described them as bringing noise, disruption and danger to residential streets, with some drivers performing doughnuts near homes.
Car meets and street cruising are not just harmless fun. They bring noise, disruption and danger to residential areas and show a complete disregard for residents who should not have to put up with their roads being used as racetracks.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, Kensington and Chelsea Council
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The council first reported incidents in 2022, including drivers spinning cars in circles outside houses. Thalassites said the injunction was necessary to give authorities stronger powers to act quickly. Those found in breach could face arrest, fines or imprisonment.
What residents can do now
Residents in the affected wards can report car meets to the police or council. Evidence such as videos, photographs or social media posts can be used to support enforcement action. The injunction does not specify a duration, meaning it remains in place until further notice.
The Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council supported the application. The order applies to the same wards in Westminster as it does in Kensington and Chelsea, ensuring consistent enforcement across borough boundaries.
Questions this report answers
+Which areas does the car meet injunction cover?
The injunction applies to Hyde Park, St James’s, West End, Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Brompton and Hans Town wards in Kensington and Chelsea, as well as the same wards in Westminster. Residents in these areas can report late-night car meets for enforcement action.
+What can police use as evidence to enforce the injunction?
Police can use CCTV footage, social media posts or witness statements to prove breaches of the injunction. This includes evidence of organising, attending or participating in car meets involving dangerous or obstructive driving.
+What happens if someone breaks the car meet injunction?
Those found in breach of the injunction could face arrest, fines or imprisonment. The order gives police and the council stronger powers to act quickly against late-night car meets in the specified wards.
+How long will the injunction last?
The injunction does not specify a duration. It remains in place until further notice from the High Court or until Kensington and Chelsea Council decides to review or revoke it.
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