Croydon’s top cop has pledged to stop the illegal speedway car racing and mass gatherings of petrolheads on a Coulsdon trading estate that has been causing “a nightmare for residents”.

Unlikely race track: residents living near to the Coulsdon industrial estate have endured a ‘living nightmare’

DCS Nick Blackburn has told Inside Croydon that his officers will use “Section 59” legal powers to seize vehicles that are causing a nuisance or creating anti-social behaviour.

Inside Croydon reported earlier this week how nuisance drivers have been gathering for noisy, late-night meets in and around the Redlands Industrial Estate and Ullswater Crescent off Marlpit Lane in Coulsdon.

Those living in the Coulsdon Woods Estate, close to where the motor meets take place, say that their complaints have been ignored, despite raising the matter with their local ward councillors almost six months ago.

Now, there has been the promise of co-ordinated action between two constabularies, the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police, calling on hi-tech drones and other monitoring devices to log the number plates of vehicles attending the gatherings. Croydon Council, meanwhile, is looking into installing speed humps on the public highways to deter the racing.

And Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn, Croydon’s Borough Commander (formally Borough Command Unit Commander – South Area, for Croydon, Bromley and Sutton), says that his officers will continue to patrol the area and use the full power of the law to deter drivers from attending the events.

Ready for action: DCS Nick Blackburn 

“The local policing team are aware of this issue and are working closely with the council to look at longer term solutions,” DCS Blackburn told Inside Croydon.

“We understand the huge impact that this type of offending has on the local community. We will continue to patrol the estate regularly and will respond to any calls to vehicle-related antisocial behaviour in the area.

“Police have a range of tactics available including the issuing of Section 59 notices.”

Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 empowers police to seize vehicles used anti-socially – such as causing alarm, distress or annoyance. It also appears in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Public Spaces Protection Orders).

This part of the 2002 Act gives police the power to issue a warning (lasting 12 months) and seize vehicles. A second offence within 12 months can lead to seizure, recovery fees, and potential crushing of the vehicle.

It is understood that these were the measures used when police clamped down on the “Croydon Cruise”, a similar late-night speed event staged off the Purley Way around 10 years ago.

Read more: Coulsdon locals call for urgent action over night-time ‘cruisers’
Read more: Waddon councillors’ bumpy ride to being top of the POPs

Inside Croydon – If you want real journalism, delivering real news, from a publication that is actually based in the borough, please consider paying for it. Sign up today: click here for more details

PAID ADS: To advertise your services or products to our 10,000 weekday visitors to the site, as featured on Google News Showcase, email us inside.croydon@btinternet.com for our unbeatable ad rates

• If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com

• As featured on Google News Showcase

• We offer FREE ads to community groups when they have members who are paid subscribers to Inside Croydon

• Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Our comments policy can be read by clicking here

• ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: In January 2026, Croydon was named among the country’s rottenest boroughs for an EIGHTH time in nine years, in Private Eye magazine’s annual round-up of civic cock-ups

• Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network