Car meetings with dangerous stunts banned by court

Anti-social drivers have been banned from performing dangerous stunts and organising car meetings in parts of central London, following a High Court injunction.

The action was brought by Westminster City Council following frequent unofficial late-night gatherings, where drivers perform tricks such as "burnouts" and "doughnuts", as crowds watch and film on their phones.

The court ruling bans drivers from racing, performing stunts and organising meetings in known hotspots, such as Hyde Park, Bond Street, St James's and the West End.

Anyone who breaches the injunction could face large fines or have their car seized, the council said.

Specifically, the ruling bans people excessively revving their engines or driving dangerously between 18:00 and 07:00.

Over the past year, a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) has been expanded across the West End, resulting in 370 fixed penalty notices in hotspots across central London, at locations such as Exhibition Road, Pall Mall and in parts of Soho.

Since the start of 2026, the Metropolitan Police has issued 36 Traffic Offence Reports as part of targeted operations in known hotspots, the council added.

As well as dangerous, high-speed driving, local residents have reported excessive smoke, exhaust fumes and the sound of screeching tyres coming from the meetings.

The council's deputy leader Caroline Sargent said: "Antisocial 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."

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