Car cruising - the act of drivers meeting on the public highway on either an organised or impromptu basis to race or show off in their cars - is noisy, dangerous and illegal.
To tackle the problem, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall councils, working in partnership with West Midlands Police, secured a ground breaking car cruising injunction from the High Court.
It came into force in February and bans people from taking part in a car cruise anywhere within the 4 boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall - or from promoting, organising or publicising any car cruising event in those areas.
Last month an 18 year old from Walsall admitted breaching the High Court injunction order by racing another car at speed in a 40mph zone in West Bromwich.
He was found guilty of contempt of court by breaching the injunction order and handed a 3 month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, at the High Court Birmingham District Registry on Thursday 30 July. He was also ordered to pay £500 costs and warned he faced prison if he breached the injunction again.
His Honour Judge Lopez, sitting as a High Court judge, warned him there was no place for racing on public roads and that such actions were reckless and could have resulted in somebody being killed.
Councillor Sandra Samuels, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "This news is an excellent deterrent and I hope that it will send out a strong message to drivers across the Black Country who engage in this illegal and dangerous act.
"Car cruising has been a major issue for residents and businesses in Wolverhampton and the surrounding area for too long, and I am delighted that, since the ban came into effect, we have noticed a sharp drop in groups of car cruisers congregating at hotspots around the Black Country."
To read a copy of the injunction, and for more information, please visit Type=articles;Articleid=5901;Title=Car cruising injunction;. People who witness car cruising on roads or public places in the Black Country are urged to call West Midlands Police on 101.
- released: Wednesday 12 August, 2015