Wacky Races: Council and Met Police seize supercar to crackdown on unlicensed and anti-social activity

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A £250,000 supercar was seized for anti-social driving in Parliament Square as part of a day of action by Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary unit to crack down on activities like unlicensed or uninsured vehicles, street hawkers and cyclists jumping red lights.

The quarter of a million-pound supercar – a Mosler Trenne model with 190pm top speed was spotted revving its engine while being filmed by a member of the public. The driver could not provide a foreign driving licence at the roadside, so the vehicle was seized.

Another vehicle confiscated by the police was a customised e-scooter, which the driver claimed cost him £15,000 to make- with custom paint job and skull decorations – which was being ridden without insurance and illegally on a public road.

The scooter and supercar were part of 47 vehicles seized for having no insurance. They came to light as the joint Operation, stopped more than 500 vehicles, including e-scooters and bikes. Officers also made 11 arrests for various offences and issued 17 fixed penalty notices to cyclists going through red traffic lights.

The combined team of council and police officers spent 24 hours in the West End tackling offences ranging from anti-social behaviour to illegal peddling of goods and as well as providing high visibly reassurance and community safety advice in relation to phone thefts.

City Council officers used powers under unlicensed street trading to disrupt unlicensed sales on Westminster Bridge. Activities included:

• Seizing a camera and iPad from two photographers selling photos to the public
• Equipment taken from three hot dog sellers and two peanut vendors for selling without a licence
• Requiring unlicensed ice cream sellers to move on

The operation issued written warnings to unlicensed buskers in Wardour Street and Leicester Square and stopped a pedicab for playing amplified music at Cambridge Circus. Details of a further four pedicab riders were taken at Hyde Park Lane and Park Lane for playing music excessively loud.

While officers targeted unlicensed and illegal activity, Officers also found they were able to help one school trip to London – with police looking after four missing children who had been split up from their guide on a visit. Police contacted the school and the children remained with officers at New Scotland Yard until their guide arrived to collect them.

Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for City Management and Air Quality, said:

People who live in Westminster and who visit every day have a right to walk our streets in safety – knowing they are not likely to be hit by a vehicle with no insurance or buy an unsafe or an illegal product from street traders.

Carelessly ridden and parked e-scooters are a particular source of complaint to us, and the summer syndrome of supercars thrashing their engines is also a tradition we can do without. Working with our police partners, this operation sends a strong signal that Westminster’s streets are not a free-for-all unlicensed and anti-social activity.”

Metropolitan Police Special Inspector Geoff Tatman added:

This hugely successful operation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the Met Special constables that play a vital role in our mission to make London safer and kindly give up their free time help serve the community.

The Met has positively and effectively partnered with Westminster Council and other local partners, to deal with offenders and crackdown on illegal activities that concern Londoners the most.”

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