Southend faced significant car chaos on the night of Saturday 17 July when over 200 revellers gathered for an unauthorised car meet along the sea front. Dangerous driving and reckless antics led to road closures and a strong police response.
By 10pm, crowds along with dozens of cars and motorbikes had congested Southend’s Marine Parade. Drivers were performing risky wheel spins and revving engines dangerously close to pedestrians on both roads and pavements. Traffic was gridlocked as the car meet completely blocked the street.
Officers from local policing teams, roads units, and the Operational Support Group intervened but faced aggression and had objects thrown at them. To regain control, police issued a dispersal order covering the area from 10.30pm Saturday through 10.30am Sunday. This order empowered officers to remove anyone causing trouble, with ignoring police orders under this order constituting a criminal offence.
Marine Parade was closed for approximately two hours while police cleared the crowds and prevented additional drivers from joining the dangerous gathering. The dispersal zone included Marine Parade, Southchurch Avenue (from Marine Parade to Woodgrange Drive), and Western Esplanade up to Shorefield Road.
During the operation, one BMW was seized and its driver was reported for driving offences.
Chief Inspector Ian Hughes commented: “There were hundreds of people in Southend sea front last night and their safety was our ultimate priority. We acted quickly to disperse the gathering and our officers faced abuse and objects being thrown at them, just for trying to protect people from harm. While those responsible may have thought we were spoiling their fun, the reality is cars being driven dangerously among crowds can end in tragedy.”
“We’ve seen serious injuries before—like a young woman who lost part of her leg after being hit by a motorbike. We welcome genuine car enthusiasts who meet responsibly and respectfully, but we won’t tolerate those who turn public roads into race tracks.”
“Anyone caught driving dangerously risks vehicle seizure under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act. We have extra patrols in place all summer to keep people safe. If you come to Southend to cause trouble, you will be dealt with.”
Councillor Martin Terry from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council added: “Our seafront is for relaxing, not reckless driving that puts lives at risk. Thanks to our community safety team working with Essex Police, the area was made safe last night. Reckless drivers are not welcome in Southend and will face severe consequences.”
If you witnessed the chaos or have footage of dangerous driving, Essex Police encourage you to get in touch online or via the ‘Live Chat’ service available between 7am and 11pm. Alternatively, you can call 101 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Originally published by UKNIP.
