Police impose dispersal order over car meet plan

The order, which will run from Friday evening until Sunday morning, hopes to stop nuisance motorists

Police have been granted extra powers after reports an unauthorised car meet is to take place at the weekend.

Essex Police said the dispersal order would remain in place across the whole of Braintree and Witham, as well as sections of the A12, A120 and A131 surrounding the towns.

The order, which will run from 18:00 on Friday until 06:00 GMT on Sunday, has been designed to protect communities from nuisance motorists.

Insp Phil Jackson said it should allow "people to go about their daily lives", while targeting "those planning to use our roads inappropriately".

The dispersal order will cover Braintree and Witham, as well as some surrounding roads

"We will not tolerate dangerous driving in any part of the Braintree district or Essex more widely, and our officers will be out in the community this weekend to enforce road traffic legislation and detect any offences that may take place," he added.

Essex Police said the order was designed to protect the local community from potentially reckless or dangerous driving, as well as further antisocial behaviour from some drivers at these unlicensed events.

A dispersal order was also put in place in Harlow as police responded to a car meet.

The order started at 00:01 and ended at 06:00 on Saturday.