Dispersal orders to stop more car meets at Morrisons and Asda in Totton

POLICE have issued more dispersal orders to stop anti-social street racing in Totton after receiving intelligence about a possible car meet this weekend.

The measures will last from 6pm today (Friday) until 6am on Sunday and cover three separate sites around the town, including two supermarkets.

Under the Section 34 powers officers can ban people from a specified area for up to 48 hours if they have committed anti-social behaviour, or are likely to, as well as seize items.

The order, which can be extended for more time, covers the Calmore Industrial Estate, the Morrisons supermarket on Spruce Drive and Asda on Maynard Road.

It is the second time this month police have used the powers locally, after complaints from residents about hundreds of people gathering noisily to watch drivers pull stunts and race.

A second dispersal order will apply over the same period this weekend at Nursling Industrial Estate in Southampton.

Insp. Chris Taylor said: “There have been multiple incidents of large gatherings of cars meeting in Nursling and Calmore in recent weeks.

"Street racing, damage to road surfaces, noise and dangerous driving has been reported causing harassment, alarm and distress to local residents.

“Our officers will continue to have an increased presence across hotspot areas in Nursling, Totton and Calmore to deter events such as these large-scale car meets from taking place in the future.

"If we encounter these events, we will do our utmost to educate those in attendance and take robust enforcement action where necessary.

“Our operation is not aimed at people meeting in their cars peacefully, simply those disrupting local communities and acting in an anti-social manner.”