Calls to consider extending antisocial driving order at Beachy Head

Eastbourne council leaders are being called on to consider extending seasonal powers against anti-social driving at Beachy Head.

On Wednesday (September 29), Eastbourne Borough Council agreed a motion, which calls on its cabinet to look into extending the town’s Anti-Social Driving Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) so it applies the whole year.

The motion had been put forward by Conservative councillor Penny Di Cara, who argued the time-limited PSPO sent out the ‘wrong signal’.

She said: “When the [PSPO] was considered previously, all the reports of antisocial driving were collated month-by-month and I admit that during the winter months the reports were slightly lower, but I don’t think significantly lower personally.

“I think there could be other reasons for that, maybe there are not so many people around in the winter months to report them.

“But I think it gives a really bad impression, I think it sends out the wrong signal. It says it is okay to drive antisocially in the winter.”

Currently, the PSPO is only enforceable between April 1 and October 31.

A report from when the PSPO was first introduced in February 2022 says this limited timeframe was considered to be appropriate from a “proportionality and enforcement perspective”. It said this was because there were fewer reports of anti-social driving in the area during winter months.

This report showed how there had been 250 incidents reported between April and September 2021, compared to 175 between October and March.

The number of reported incidents were highest during the months of April, May and June.

Cllr Di Cara’s motion saw unanimous support from the council chamber, although some came with caveats.

Cabinet member for community safety Kathy Ballard (Lib Dem) warned that an extension of the PSPO would need support from Sussex Police to be implemented.

Cllr Ballard said: “Back in 2021 before the order was introduced, Sussex Police recorded a baseline of 185 reports during the peak summer period.

“Since then the October to April seasonal enforcement has successfully cut those incidents by 14 per cent. Naturally, residents want that peace extended year round.

“However, responsible leadership means working constructively with our partners at Sussex Police, not ignoring operational realities.

“Operating under severe resource constraints the police look closely at historical evidence. Because winter incident figures are historically much lower they are cautious about committing year round resources.”

The order prohibits a wider range of behaviours, including the revving of engines; repeated, sudden or rapid acceleration; racing or speeding; and modifying vehicles to make ‘excessive sound.’

It also prohibits ‘performing driving stunts’, which it says includes doughnuts, drifting, skidding, handbrake turns and wheel spinning.

Failure to comply with a PSPO can incur a fixed penalty notice of up to £100, or a fine not exceeding £1,000 upon summary conviction.

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