A temporary dispersal order used to ban rowdy car meet-ups has been praised by a town councillor who now wants to see "more permanent" solutions put in place.

The order was put in place in Greenhithe over the weekend in response to reports of motorists gathering in the Crossways Bouvlevard area and "driving in a reckless manner".

It comes after police promised a clampdown on anti-social activity after two consecutive weekends of disruption to residents.

Police increased patrols in the area over both Saturday and Sunday but received no reports of nuisance vehicles.

Kent Police spokesman James Walker said: "The area was patrolled, but it was not necessary to take any enforcement action.

"Officers will continue to patrol the area and will deal with any offenders in a robust, but proportionate, manner."

Kent County councillor for Swanscombe and Greenhithe, Peter Harman praised the response and hopes it will be the start of "more permanent" measures to tackle unruly behaviour.

"It shows it can be done," he said. "This is good progress, but the issue now is to get this to happen every week."

He added: "For the roads it will never be completely without, but not constant like we have had before, that is what I'm hoping."

Cllr Harman said he was also pleased to see upgraded security arrangements with landowners in trading estates such as Quadrant Close where issues with "boy racers" have previously been reported.

It comes after the councillor led a campaign last summer to put measures in place to tackle noisy meet ups of up to 200 vehicles at the business park, off Crossways.

KCC and Dartford councillors will meet Dartford MP Gareth Johnson, who also intervened in the matter, to discuss the dispersal order later this week.

"We have got a meeting on Friday and we are going to see if we can make it permanent," Cllr Harman added.

The latest dispersal order was put in place following numerous incidents in Charles Street at the end of last month.

On February 20, officers were called to a car meet, estimated to be attended by up to 30 cars, near the Burger King.

A patrol attended and fined five men or breaching Coronavirus legislation. They were then dispersed.

Six days later, a vehicle was seized after it was observed being driven in a poor manner.

Further checks were carried out the next evening and a group of motorists left the area upon the arrival of police.

The dispersal order allows police officers or community support officers to direct a person to leave the area specified if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that their behaviour has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public.

Failure to comply with the order can result in arrest.

Kent Police says it has a "zero tolerance" for such activities and where necessary and proportionate, will seize vehicles and issue fines under Coronavirus legislation.

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