Councillor Blasts Westminster Council on Car Meet Safety

0:00On March 13th, a Westminster City Councilor is calling out the local council for not doing enough to stop illegal car meets that endanger residents and visitors. Conservative representative, Rachel Robathon, who covers Knightsbridge and Belgravia, has been urging the Labour-led administration for over a year, too. Add tougher measures like an anti-skid surface on exhibition road and a burrow-wide injunction. He's raised the alarm since last January, even hosting a meeting at City Hall with council officers to push these ideas forward. A quote for the road treatment was secured back then, but Robathon says progress has stalled completely. Car meets, where crowds show our vehicles and do risky stunts, have troubled Westminster for years. The council has rolled out public spaces protection orders in spots like exhibition road, soho, and mayfair, allowing fines up to 100 pounds. The Robathon argues these aren't cutting it. The council insists they're on it, partnering with neighbouring Kensington and Chelsea

1:02to lay down the high-friction surface treatment on exhibition. Road starting this April, when weather allows. They're also collecting evidence for that injunction, pointing to infield council success last year as a model. Enforcement is wrapping up, too, with help from the Metropolitan Police. They've issued 356 fixed penalty notices for bad driving. This financial year, including 54 on exhibition road alone. Fewer meets have popped up so far this year, and officials vow to keep the pressure on for safer streets.