Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

To consider possible options to the problems caused by the gathering of high performance vehicles, commonly referred as ‘car cruising’, in Newbridge Lane car park

The Area Committee is requested to comment on the issues in the report, consider potential recommendations put forward and request any further information as necessary.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) regarding possible options to the problems caused by the gathering of high performance vehicles, commonly referred to as ‘car cruising’ in Newbridge Lane car park. It was estimated that at a recent car cruising event at Newbridge Lane Car Park that there was in excess of 200 cars present.

With the agreement of the Area Committee, a member of the public who took part in the gathering of high performance vehicles was permitted to address the Area Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised by Members of the Area Committee:-

·         The people who took part in the gathering of high performance vehicles on Newbridge Lane car park did not have permission to use Council owned land for such a purpose. The organisers should have to apply to hold events and meet certain criteria, for example with regard to a licence for the events, payment of bonds, health and safety issues, environmental issues and insurance in a similar way that the organisers of the Roughleys Bike Show were obliged to do.

·         It was clarified that although it may be inappropriate for people to take possession of a public car park, it was not illegal. It was the behaviour in the car park that needed to be monitored.

·         The organisers should have regard to residents who lived nearby.

·         It was potentially intimidating to members of the public who wished to park at Newbridge Lane car park when the car cruising events were taking place, including customers of the Arden Arms public house.

·         The Greater Manchester Police and Crime Steering Panel was in the process of establishing a group to examine car cruising events across Greater Manchester with support from Police Officers, Community Safety Officers, Environmental Health Officers and Parking Managers.

·         The organisers of the car cruising events wished to use Heaton Lane car park, yet a Travelodge hotel was being built opposite it and the events would cause a nuisance to customers of the hotel.

·         Councillors and Officers needed to know the names of the organisers or organising committee who they could liaise with.

·         There had been reports of young children being present at the car cruising events causing additional safety problems.

·         It was not possible for the events to be ‘policed’ by the organisers.

RESOLVED – That liaison continue with the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Steering Panel and the work that it had initiated to examine a Greater Manchester wide solution to the problem, and that a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Area Committee on progress with the work.