Gosport ditches measures to stop anti-social behaviour at nuisance-plagued Beach Road car park

Gosport Borough Council has decided to discontinue the use of lighting, CCTV and hedge planting to deter undesirable conduct in Beach Road car park, Lee-on-the-Solent.

Improved lighting was set to cost £15,000 with CCTV estimated at £12,000 - a hedge was planted adjacent to Marine Parade East for £4,000 which has since died.

Councillor Peter Chegwyn, leader of the council said: ‘The reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) have gone down.

‘This car park has had a lot spent on it already and the proposal is to not spend more, other than to continue uniform patrols which hopefully has had the effect of reducing ASB.

‘We will continue to monitor it - I'm happy to talk to residents anytime.’

Local residents have been complaining about the nuisance hot-spot since 2014, with descriptions of loud music, suspected drug dealing and tyre screeching from motorists performing doughnuts and hand brake turns.

John White, a Lee resident and spokesman for Victims Action Group, said having the car park open overnight was a waste of time.

He added: ‘We’re obviously disappointed that they’re not going to close it overnight.

‘There’s been a heck of a lot of criticism for that hedge - to spend £4,000 planting a hedge in January, the coldest month of the year - I think it’s a criminal waste of money.

‘ASB has marginally decreased but the problem is the main source of ASB is the noise which keeps people awake at night.

‘About two weeks ago one of the ladies on our action group was kept up all night until three in the morning.

‘The enforcement officers have been doing additional checks but they certainly don’t go down after 12pm and that’s the problem.

‘The council wants the car park open 24/7 but between 12pm and 6am there is no policing of the car park.

‘Most people would prefer to see it closed, the number of people who use the car park at night is basically a handful - I wouldn't park my car there at night.’