Putting the brakes on illegal car meets and dangerous driving
Gwent Police has launched a proactive initiative to highlight the consequences and deter people from organising and attending illegal car meets and street racing.
Operation Wheeler, led by officers from the Roads Policing and Specialist Operations (RPSO) team, is tackling the anti-social and dangerous use of vehicles across Gwent and has already seen multiple arrests and convictions for those taking part in these meets.
382 illegal car meets were reported to Gwent Police between January 2020 and January 2025, with 144 reports being made last year. Car meets and street racing can have fatal consequences for those involved and the illegal and dangerous behaviour associated can have a ripple effect on the wider community.
The operation has been in place since July 2024. Since then:
- one person has been convicted of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a collision at a car meet
- one person is under investigation for dangerous driving following collision in Newport
- one person has been convicted of fraudulently obtaining an insurance policy by failing to disclose modifications
- two people have been summoned to court for failing to identify drivers of vehicles that were driving dangerously
- three people have been arrested for causing public nuisance and aiding and abetting dangerous driving/motor racing
- all have been issued with a community protection warning relating to organising car meets
- four people have been arrested for dangerous driving
- three have been charged and one remains under investigation
- four further community protection warnings have been issued relating to organising car meets
- eight insurance policies have been cancelled
- eight vehicles have been seized
- 10 people have been charged to court for motor racing on public roads
- 30 Section 59 warnings have been issued
- a Section 59 warning is issued when vehicles are found to have been used to cause distress, alarm or annoyance, or used in an anti-social manner
- 30 Traffic Offence Reports have been issued for Construction and Use offences
- Construction and Use offences are offences that are concerned with the condition a vehicle is kept in or something that has been done to a vehicle which makes it unsafe
- 41 Section 172 requests (Requirement to Provide Driver Details) have been issued
- 16 of which failed to reply and have been summoned to court for failing to identify a driver.
The team has also issued 52 Operation Wheeler warning letters, directed towards both organisers and attendees of these events. These letters outline the serious risks associated with street racing and dangerous driving and emphasise the potential consequences of engaging in such activities.
Car meets and street racing can attract hundreds of people and vehicles at a time, and there has been an increase in reports of illegal car meets over the last five years across Gwent. Those attending park their vehicles in dangerous places and cause obstructions in the road to enable drag strip style racing to take place - with spectators lining the roads either side.
Racing on the public highway and dangerous driving has been the cause of many serious and fatal road traffic collisions across the UK, and Gwent Police will use all appropriate legal powers available to prevent the occurring. It is not a harmless activity.
Officers are working closely with local partner agencies, including the councils, and the shared objective is to prevent death and serious injuries on the roads of Gwent linked to this behaviour.
RPSO Sergeant Mitchell Harris, who is the force lead for this operation, said:
“Operation Wheeler is about tackling the dangers that can come from illegal car meets and street racing, from the impact on other road users to noise pollution and the links to other criminal activities they can have.
“Illegal car meets are not just a nuisance; they pose serious risks to public safety and community wellbeing.
“Our goal is simple – we want to put the brakes on illegal car meets, street racing, and anti-social and dangerous driving and we’re working proactively with our partners to achieve this.
“If you have any information about illegal car meets, report it. By working together, we can help keep the roads of Gwent safe for everyone.”
To report illegal car meets and street racing, or anti-social and dangerous driving, call 101 or send Gwent Police a direct message on Facebook or X. Always dial 999 in an emergency.