Drivers in two London neighbourhoods will soon be fined for revving engines

London can be noisy. Often our ears are blasted with the sounds of wailing sirens, screeching tubes, and annoying people playing music out loud from their phones. Now some councils are cracking down on one more of London’s many rackets, and banning drivers from loudly revving their engines. Let’s hope they ban watching TikTok without headphones next. 

Soon motorists in Soho and Mayfair could be fined for revving their engines too loudly and racing, under plans to expand a Public Space Protection Order (PSBO). Following a public consultation, the proposal to extend the order was given to Westminster City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection, Councillor Aicha Less. 

If the order is implemented, the fines would be introduced in most of St James’s ward, Knightsbridge and Belgravia. The rule change would apply to motorbikes as well as cars, and was partly inspired by clamorous bikes in Soho, as well as problems with car meets and racing on Bond Street.  

The current PSBO allows the council and Metropolitan Police to dish out fines for a certain number of actions in the designated area between midday and 6pm. It includes things like performing stunts, playing loud music or using threatening behaviour towards another person. According to the council, 350 penalties have been handed out since the order was introduced in 2022. 

The council report said: ‘The impact of this behaviour is a growing concern for the public, local businesses, and the council. Tyre burnouts leave lasting skid marks on road surfaces, contributing to the visual deterioration of a high-profile retail area and necessitating more frequent resurfacing at a cost to the council and its partners.

‘Additionally, evidence gathered by the New West End Company (NWEC) indicates that anti-social vehicle use is disrupting retail security systems, triggering false alarms and leading to the unnecessary deployment of costly resources such as security fog systems, which are activated by the loud disturbances.’

Councillor Max Sullivan, Cabinet Member for Streets, said in a statement: ‘Illegal and dangerous driving is a blight on our streets, putting lives at risk and disrupting people going about their days and evenings in our city. We are working directly with the Metropolitan Police to tackle illegal car meets head-on, aided by the recruitment of 80 new local police officers, and the council’s new high-spec CCTV network and bolstered team of city inspectors.

‘The recent seizure of dozens of uninsured vehicles is a testament to our combined efforts, and we will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to keeping our communities safe and free to enjoy our city.’

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