New police powers to tackle anti-social driving in Cheddar

New powers have been granted to police officers, allowing them to close the road through Cheddar Gorge to tackle issues of anti-social and dangerous driving.

Under the new Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, officers can close the road between the Cox’s Mill Car Park and the junction of the B3135 and B3371.

The power is available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and can be used in advance of planned events or in the event of ongoing issues.

The order was granted by Somerset Council for an initial 21-day period, although this can be extended to 18 months.

Under the conditions of the order, closures can be put in place at any time and for any duration between 4pm and 6am on each of the three days.

Businesses will remain open as usual during any closure while people living within it will also be allowed access.

Officers have previously used dispersal orders to shut down these gatherings and pursued prosecutions for criminal offences, however the new power can be used proactively in advance of an event taking place.

Acting Sergeant Daryl Screech said: “We are fully aware of the disruption anti-social driving continues to have on the residents of Cheddar and its visitors.

“Not only is it disruptive and dangerous, but these events also put significant demand on police resources with officers having to be diverted from other matters to respond and ensure public safety.

“We continue to work closely with our partners, including Somerset Council, to come up with long-term solutions and this latest step gives us powers to stop these events when they’re most likely to take place but also in a way which allows us to minimise the impact on the wider public.”

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste Services, Councillor Richard Wilkins said: “We were very keen to work with Avon and Somerset Police in supporting this initiative.

“This is a long-standing issue in the area, and whilst we appreciate there is no easy solution, granting police these powers will significantly reduce the opportunities for groups to engage in dangerous or anti-social driving.”

We continue to urge anyone who witnesses anti-social driving to report it to us through our website or by calling 101.