Police are looking at new ways to stop late night moped racers in north Cambridge

The force wants new powers put inplace to make it easier to prosecute the offenders.

Police are considering putting a public spaces protection order (PSPO) in place to help them crack down on motorcycle and moped racers in the north of the city.

The issue is one that residents say has plagued them since the summer. A PSPO would need to be set up in partnership with Cambridge City Council.

One resident said: “The issue of mopeds racing around covered vitually the whole of the north. It was Chesterton, King’s Hedges, Orchard Park, Arbury. It was almost the sole subject of what huge numbers of people talked about this summer.”

The police have recieved 10 calls about racing since the start of November. Councillors at the North Area Committee meeting said many residents had given up reporting racers to the police because they thought nothing was being done.

The resident continued: “From our own house we heard it continually.

“That was the major issue plaguing north Cambridge for months over the summer and it must be disheartening for the police. But it’s even more disheartening for residents that the major issue has no visibility and almost no action and that people feel it’s not worth reporting.”

Inspector Paul Rogerson said: “I’m going to suggest we look at this problem in a very different way.

“This issue causes us significant problems with police tactics because of the persistent nature of it and because of the way in which we have to catch these people, which is very dangerous. I’m not saying we won’t take some risks to catch these people, because we will.”

He said he would make a commitment to look at the use of a PSPO. “It changes the dynamic of the situation,” he said.

It would mean civil enforcement could be made rather than a criminal charge. Racers could be issued £100 fines if caught.