OFFICERS have been taking action against anti-social driving in the Saffron Walden area.

Essex Police has been contacted about a car meet at Knight Retail Park involving around 100 cars on Saturday evening, April 15.

Most of the vehicles had left by 9pm but some drivers moved on to the town's Swan Mead car park, where complaints about noise and anti-social behaviour started to rush in.

Braintree and Uttlesford Community Policing Team officers, together with colleagues from Roads Policing, took enforcement action.

Read more:

One driver had their vehicle seized under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and was issued with a fixed penalty notice for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Another was issued with a section 59 warning, which means that their vehicle - or any vehicle they are driving - can be seized by police if they are caught driving anti-socially within the following 12 months.

Officers also issued nine FPNs for illegal exhausts, one for driving while using a mobile phone and two for number plate offences, where the plates are displayed incorrectly.

Sergent Kevin Mayle, of Braintree and Uttlesford Community Policing Team, said: "Car meets in themselves are not anti-social but when they are associated with dangerous and anti-social driving then we will take action.

"When you are not in full control of your vehicle, you risk endangering the lives of other drivers, spectators and passers-by, as well as yourself.

"Illegal modifications to cars are also unsafe and local residents can be disturbed by the excessive revving of car engines, particularly late at night.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

"We don’t want to spoil people’s fun but, equally, we don’t tolerate unsafe vehicles or bad driving in Uttlesford and Braintree.

"Be aware, you risk being prosecuted and, if convicted of certain driving offences, you may be disqualified from driving.

"As well as the specific action we’ve taken to address illegal activity surrounding recent car meets, all our officers will continue to tackle street racing, dangerous and anti-social driving and other associated offences because we know the risks they pose to the public and the harm they can cause."