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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Megan Howe

Westminster City Council bans anti-social car meet-ups following High Court injunction

Westminster City Council has banned anti-social drivers from carrying out stunts and organising car meets in central London after securing a High Court injunction.

The ruling prohibits street racing and stunt performing, including doughnuts and burnouts, giving authorities new powers to crack down on disruptive and dangerous driving.

Residents in hotspots such as Knightsbridge and Belgravia, St James's and the West End have long been plagued by car meet-ups, which often draw large crowds.

Councillor Rachael Robathan, who represents Knightsbridge and Belgravia, has previously said she spent more than a year urging Westminster's Labour administration to take stronger action to tackle the problem.

She said she organised a meeting at City Hall in January 2025 with cabinet support officers to push forward an anti-skid resurfacing scheme, during which a quote for the work was obtained. But she said no further progress was made.

Now, the Council has implemented an injunction to address the problem.

Drivers who breach the injunction face substantial fines or having their assets seized for excessive engine revving or dangerous driving between 6pm and 7am, the Council warns.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Councillor Caroline Sargent said: “Anti-social driving is incredibly dangerous, and we do not want it in Westminster. This ruling is a fantastic result for the Council and its partners which will make our streets safer whilst offering residents respite from the excessive noise.”

“We have a zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour, so if you are looking to meet up and drive like this, our streets are not the place for it.”

Over the past year, a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was expanded across the West End resulting in 370 fixed penalty notices across hotspots across the city.

Since the start of 2026, the Metropolitan Police have issued 36 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) as part of targeted operations in known hotspots.

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