Fines for loud bikes may hit more London areas
An existing anti-noise order is set to include more areas of the capital city.
Motorcyclists in London’s Soho and Mayfair may soon face fines if plans to extend an existing noise order are approved.
At present, a public space protection order (PSPO) is in place for most of St James's ward, Knightsbridge and Belgravia. That order, established in 2021, is set to be extended to include Soho and Mayfair if plans are approved by Westminster Council.
A report by the council says that "a problem with anti-social vehicle use in the West End" is "undermining public safety and damaging public roads".
The existing order has resulted in motorcyclists and drivers being hit with some 368 fixed penalty notices over the years.
Seeing as motorcyclists are almost always the intended target of PSPO’s - as is the case with a recent proposal near Ryka’s cafe - bikers may be able to take some solace in the fact that officials are largely placing the blame for this particular problem on the shoulders of car drivers - particularly owners of supercars.
“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,” said Westminster Councillor Max Sullivan.
Officials have pointed to a number of impromptu car meets on New Bond Street as being particularly problematic, in part because tyre marks are so unseemly.
“The impact of this behaviour is a growing concern for the public, local businesses, and the council,” states a report in support of the PSPO. “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.”
The PSPO would apply between 12pm and 6am - you know, when London is otherwise a bucolic setting of tranquil idyll - with motorists facing fines up to £100.
If approved, the PSPO extension will cover “activities including revving engines, sudden or rapid acceleration, car racing, performing stunts, sounding horns, playing music from a vehicle, obstructing roads, and threatening, intimidating behaviour,” and remain in effect until August 2028 (after which it may be renewed).
Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
