DRIVERS using a popular Hereford car park could be fined £1,000 for revving their engines under new plans being drawn up by Herefordshire Council.

In a bid to cut anti-social behaviour in Garrick multi-storey, in Widemarsh Street, Herefordshire Council will look at taking legal action against those causing a nuisance.

Documents show there have been a number of complaints about antisocial behaviour, thought to stem from so-called boyracers meeting up in the car park.

A draft public spaces protection order, which aims to deal with any nuisances or problems in a particular area that affects the local community's quality of life, has been drawn up.

As part of that, which could see people who do not comply fined or summoned to court, drivers will not be allowed to rev their cars, suddenly or rapidly accelerate or race.

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Drivers will also not be allowed to leave their engines running on idle other than when queueing to park or leave, perform any stunts, sound a horn repetitively, play music which can be heard outside the car or make noise to a level which causes a public nuisance.

The order will not only apply to cars, but all vehicles using the car park.

On top of that, anyone in the car park will be banned from being threatening, aggressive or intimidating to other people, use foul of abusive language, or gather, loiter, climb, throw items or cycle in a intimidating or threatening way.

Skating, skateboarding and ball games will also be banned, and drug use, urination, setting off fireworks, lighting fires, interfering or damaging the car park, sleeping, littering, fly-tipping or misusing lifts could also result in fines.

Failure to comply with the order, which is currently going through a public consultation, could see a person fined up to £1,000 if convicted, or a £100 fixed penalty notice, reduced to £50 if paid within 10 working days.

Failure to pay that fixed penalty notice could lead to prosecution.

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Herefordshire Council said: "There has been a high volume of anti-social behaviour complaints in the Garrick Multi-Storey Car Park, Hereford.

"We believe that the nuisance is specific in nature and focused on this particular area and has given rise to concerns for those who use the car park on a daily basis and their property.

"Despite continued efforts by partner agencies, the nuisance continues and shows no signs of stopping without legal intervention.

"The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 allows for the making of a Public Spaces Protection Order in cases where the local authority feels that such action is justified to stop anti-social behaviour.

"A public spaces protection order will not stop the lawful use of the car park and people who wish to park there will be able to continue to do so under the current terms of use.

"The order will allow us to consider arrest, prosecution and fixed penalty notices for anyone who is in breach of the prohibitions contained within the order.

"In proposing to make a Public Spaces Protection Order, Herefordshire Council are satisfied that the behaviours exhibited by some individuals in the car park are having or have had a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality, is persistent in nature and the behaviours reported by members of the public justify the restrictions imposed."