OFFICIALS are targeting anti-social driving and behaviour in a city centre car park where there has also been wildlife crime and a firearms offence.

West Mercia Police said a new CCTV camera in Hereford's Merton Meadow Car Park, off Blackfriars Street, can now give clearer images in low-light and makes it easier to identify vehicle registration plates.

So far the officers from Hereford's safer neighbourhood team said the new system has already enabled them to identify and deal with both a wildlife crime and a firearms offence in the area.

In the coming days Balfour Beatty, Herefordshire Council's contractor, will be introducing traffic calming measures in a bid to prevent anti-social driving.

"If reports of anti-social driving are received we now have the capability to capture registrations of vehicle who have been involved and if required use this as evidence when enforcing Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002," officers said.

"Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 refers to vehicles being used in a manner which causes alarm, distress or annoyance.

"An example might be performing screeching 'handbrake turns' in a housing estate.

"Once issued the vehicle and the driver are both subject to conditions which means if they, or the vehicle, are reported and evidenced as being antisocial again within a 12-month period the vehicle can, and will, be seized by police."