Birmingham court continues Black Country street racing ban after collisions and deaths

The High Court in Birmingham has continued the interim injunction banning ‘street racing’, also known as ‘car cruising’, in the Black Country after several collisions and deaths.

The interim injunction prohibits people from participating, as a driver, a rider or a passenger, in a gathering of two or more people at which some of those present engage in motor racing or motor stunts or other dangerous or obstructive driving.

The interim injunction covers the whole of the boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall and anyone breaching it will be in contempt of court and could face penalties including imprisonment, a fine or an order to have their assets seized.

The interim injunction, which is served against ‘persons unknown’, was initially granted last December, and reviewed at the High Court in Birmingham on 13 February.

Highlighting the need for such an injunction, an incident was referenced which took place in Oldbury last autumn which caused 2 deaths and which was “linked unequivocally to car cruising”, along with other incidents causing harm in Stevenage, Warrington and Scunthorpe involving fatalities and life changing injuries.

The Oldbury tragedy resulted in the deaths of 16-year-old Liberty Chariss and 19-year-old Ben when a blue Nissan Skyline hit a number of pedestrians who had gathered on the A457 Birmingham Road and Oldbury Road.

The court permitted the original order to continue, with a further hearing to take place in Birmingham in May to consider whether the interim injunction should remain in force or be amended.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Street racing, also sometimes described as car cruising, is noisy, dangerous and illegal and some events have resulted in serious injuries and even death, as we tragically saw last autumn in Oldbury.

“We are pleased that the High Court has recognised the positive impact that the interim street racing injunction has had since its introduction in December, and has permitted it to remain in force.”