Extending the Vehicle Nuisance Public Space Protection Order (PSPO)
Norwich City Council currently has a citywide PSPO to address vehicle‑related anti‑social behaviour, including dangerous driving manoeuvres, excessive noise, car meets and other nuisance activity that affects residents, businesses and visitors.
The order is due to expire in July 2026. Under the Anti‑social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, the council must consult before deciding whether to extend the PSPO for a further three years.
No changes are proposed to the wording, area, or prohibitions within the order.
This consultation is therefore focused on understanding whether these issues are still taking place and whether the PSPO should continue.
We are inviting residents, businesses and stakeholders to share their views to help inform the council’s decision.
Vehicle nuisance in Norwich
The current PSPO forms part of a wider Norfolk‑wide approach to tackling persistent vehicle‑related nuisance across the county. In Norwich, these behaviours include:
- aggressive acceleration, racing and stunts
- excessive noise from engines, horns or amplified music
- gatherings of vehicles that cause disturbance or obstruct public spaces
These behaviours can have a negative impact on people’s quality of life, feelings of safety and local environments.
The PSPO does not cover abandoned vehicles or parking issues.
The Public Space Protection Order for Vehicle Nuisance can be downloaded here.
Why we are proposing to extend the PSPO
Between 1 March 2025 and 28 February 2026, Norwich residents reported 94 incidents of vehicle‑related nuisance.
As a result, enforcement action taken by the police included:
- 51 first warning letters
- 5 second warning letters
- 2 Community Protection Warnings
- 1 Community Protection Notice
- 1 Section 59 warning (which can lead to a vehicle being seized if behaviour continues)
The reduction in cases at each stage indicates that the PSPO is effective in changing behaviour.
How your feedback will be used and what happens next
Your feedback will help the council assess whether the PSPO is still needed, inform recommendations to Cabinet and demonstrate that we have met our statutory consultation duties.
The consultation will run from Monday 9 March to Sunday 19 April 2026.
Once it closes, all responses will be reviewed and presented to Cabinet in June/July 2026. The final decision and the updated PSPO (if extended) will then be published on the council’s website.
