Final street racing hearing to be held next week

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.

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.

For more information about the interim injunction, please visit the street racing injunction pages of the applicants – Wolverhampton (www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/street-racing-injunction), Walsall, (https://go.walsall.gov.uk/black_country_car_cruising_injunction), Sandwell (www.sandwell.gov.uk/streetracing), or Dudley (www.dudley.gov.uk/car-cruising-injunction).

Incidents of street racing should be reported via asbu@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk or to West Midlands Police on 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.