April and May 2024
Street racing banned in the Black Country
Street racers beware!
We’ve successfully now taken four drivers to court for breaching the Black Country-wide street racing injunction in Kenrick Way, West Bromwich – all four received a suspended prison sentence. The latest street racing court case involved a driver who raced another vehicle and drove at a speed of around 80mph in March 2024. As well as a suspended prison sentence, the driver was ordered to pay more than £3,000 in court costs.
Sandwell Police arrested another street racer in Kenrick Way in May 2024. Police are also now informing drivers’ insurers of street racing offences. We will continue to work closely with Sandwell Police and other councils to tackle dangerous and anti-social street racing. The case was heard in court on 23 May 2024 and the individual received a suspended custodial sentence.
Read the full news release about the latest successful court case
Multi Agency Road Safety Operation
Taxi Licensing Enforcement Officers have undertaken another successful multi-agency operation with West Midlands Police and other agencies, to carry out vehicle safety checks in Smethwick. As part of the operation various vehicles were seized for having no insurance, tints removed and number plates not correctly spaced out. One Sandwell taxi driver was stopped for not wearing a seatbelt and will be issued with a fine. Another was stopped as a general check-up but their identification card needed to be updated, as keeping our records up to date is very important.
Abandoned vehicles
Environmental Protection Officers have been investigating reports of abandoned vehicles, which has led to a total of 23 vehicles being removed from the public highway. Of those vehicles, 12 were untaxed.
Tackling waste accumulation, Cradley Heath
Formal action has been taken against a landowner, in order to tackle an accumulation of waste on an area of land in Cradley Heath. The landowner was served with a statutory notice under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, which required the landowner to remove the waste materials from the land (failure to comply is an offence punishable with a fine of up to £1000). In addition to the fine, Sandwell Council could have carried out the works in default, then charged the landowner. The landowner complied with the notice and all waste has now been cleared from the site.
Stanhope Road, Smethwick
Rapid Response Operatives responded to reports of a fly tip in Stanhope Road, Smethwick, where a homeowner had paid a male £90 to remove a tipper load of building waste and domestic waste from their property. The resident didn’t use or check that the person they used was a licensed waste carrier and could not provide the required paperwork; the homeowner was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400 for failing in their Household Waste Duty of Care.
Wattis Road, Smethwick
Rapid Response Operatives responded to reports of a fly tip in Wattis Road, Smethwick, where a homeowner had paid a male £30 to remove furniture and domestic waste from their property. The resident didn’t use or check that the person they used was a licensed waste carrier and could not provide the required paperwork; the homeowner was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400 for failing in their Household Waste Duty of Care.
Nine Leasowes, Smethwick
Rapid Response Operatives responded to reports of a fly tip in Nine Leasowes, Smethwick, where a homeowner had paid someone to remove a tonne bag of domestic waste. The resident didn’t use or check that the person they used was a licensed waste carrier and could not provide the required paperwork; the homeowner was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400 for failing in their Household Waste Duty of Care.
Ballott Street, Smethwick
Rapid Response Operatives responded to a littering incident, in Ballott Street, Smethwick, address details were discovered amongst the bag which had been deposited in a skip, which has led to a local resident being issued with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice.
