Man arrested after late-night disturbance at Asda
Fast-track powers proposed to deliver swift justice and deter repeat offenders
A NEW crackdown on anti-social driving in Wales could see vehicles such as e-scooters, quad bikes and off-road motorcycles seized and destroyed within 48 hours under plans unveiled by the UK Government.
Currently, police forces must wait 14 days before disposing of vehicles used in anti-social behaviour. The proposed changes would slash that delay, aiming to stop offenders reclaiming their vehicles and reduce repeat offending.
The new powers are being proposed as part of a wider UK Government consultation launched today (May 28), which seeks to fast-track the removal and disposal of nuisance vehicles from streets across Wales and England.
As part of the consultation, ministers are also proposing to remove the requirement for police officers to issue a formal warning before seizing vehicles under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Wools welcomed the move, saying:
'These new powers send a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities in Wales: swift justice will be delivered and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
'Sales of e-scooters and off-road bikes have rapidly increased, so today is an important step in tackling more serious crime in Wales, with the vehicles often used to facilitate drug dealing, organised acquisitive crime and serious violence.'
The move comes as part of the UK Government's broader Plan for Change, which aims to increase police presence, clamp down on disruptive behaviour and deliver safer communities. It also follows an announcement that Wales will receive more than 150 new neighbourhood police officers by April 2026, with each neighbourhood having named and contactable officers by July next year.
Jessica Morden, Labour MP for Newport East, said the measures would be welcomed by residents.
'I know today's announcement will be good news for many in Newport East, where concerns over the misuse of e-scooters are raised with me frequently,' she said.
'I introduced the E-scooters (Review and Awareness) Bill to Parliament last November because our laws lag behind other countries. Today's steps are a significant move in the right direction.'
Public consultation now open
The public consultation will run for six weeks until Tuesday, July 8, 2025. Proposals include:
Reducing the vehicle disposal timeframe under the Police Reform Act 2002 from 14 days to 48 hours
Reducing disposal times for uninsured or unlicensed vehicles (Road Traffic Act 1988) from 14 days to 7 days
Aligning disposal timeframes for vehicles seized under trespass laws (Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994)
Updating statutory charges for vehicle removal, storage and disposal
The consultation is available at: GOV.UK – Vehicle removal, storage and disposal consultation
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