Hampshire placed under dispersal order as police tackle 'unauthorised' horse and trap racing between Winchester and Basingstoke

POLICE have issued a dispersal order across the whole of Hampshire to stop unauthorised horse and trap racing this weekend.
There will be a 'significant' police presence on the A33 this weekend.There will be a 'significant' police presence on the A33 this weekend.
There will be a 'significant' police presence on the A33 this weekend.

A significant policing presence has been posted along the A33 between the Winchester and Basingstoke area this morning, following tip-offs about planned unauthorised horse and trap racing due to take place throughout the weekend.

It follows a similar operation last weekend which saw a wanted man arrested for failing to appear at court, five motorists stopped for drink or drug driving offences, and five vehicles seized for having no insurance.

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The Section 35 dispersal order – which gives officers the power to excludes individuals from an area for 48 hours – was put in place at 3pm on Friday and will last until 3pm on Sunday, covering the whole of the county.

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Chief Superintendent Paul Bartolomeo said: ‘Racing on public road networks is an offence, and will result in us taking enforcement action.

‘These activities can be conducted lawfully elsewhere, such as on private land, and we will not be tolerating the use of Hampshire’s roads for an illegal sporting event.

‘We will deal with offences robustly, and take action wherever we have a power in law to do so.

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‘We appreciate the support of our partners in managing this situation, as well as the patience of the communities we serve.’

Police do not plan to close the A33 but officers will take action in response to a ‘dynamic’ situation on the ground, according to a spokeswoman from Hampshire Constabulary.

Anyone with any information about criminal activity should call the police on 101 or on 999 if it is an emergency.

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