Final street racing hearing to be held next week
21 February 2024
A final hearing into an injunction banning street racing in the Black Country will be heard by the High Court next week.
An interim injunction has been in place in the region since December 2022, prohibiting people from participating, as a driver, a rider or a passenger, in a gathering of two or more people at which some of those present engage in motor racing or motor stunts or other dangerous or obstructive driving.
It covers the whole of the boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall and anyone breaching it will be in contempt of court and could face penalties including imprisonment, a fine, or an order to have their assets seized.
At a hearing in Birmingham last December, Her Honour Judge Kelly permitted the interim injunction and Power of Arrest to remain in force, and ordered that a final hearing take place next week.
At it, the Claimant Councils will seek to extend the scope of the injunction so that it covers spectators and organisers, as well as participants in car cruises and street races.
The application is led by the City of Wolverhampton Council on behalf of Dudley Council, Sandwell Council and Walsall Council, and supported by West Midlands Police.
A spokesperson for the application said: "The interim injunction has been in effect for a year and has achieved a substantial amount of success – both in helping to prevent instances of street racing from occuring in the first place, and in leading to the conviction of a number of individuals for contempt of court in recent months.
“Nevertheless, residents also remain concerned about the effects of street racing and complaints continue to be received by the authorities about incidents across the region, in particular Overfield Drive and the Black Country Route in Bilston, Kenrick Way, West Bromwich, and Manor Way, Halesowen.
“Therefore, we will be returning to the High Court next week to seek a full and final injunction which we hope will also cover spectators and organisers, as both groups are not only encouraging meetings to take place, but are also putting their lives at risk by partaking in this activity."
The final hearing will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday 27 and 28 February 2024, in the High Court of Justice at the Birmingham District Registry, Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre, Priory Courts, 33 Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6DS, from 10.30am on each day.
