Public Space Protection Orders

A borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has been in place across the London Borough of Waltham Forest since 5 September 2022, for a period of three years. This order was introduced under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 following a public consultation and was formally approved by the Council Cabinet on 7 July 2022.

PSPOs provide the Council with flexible enforcement powers to respond to Anti-Social Behaviour in a public space such as a town centre or public park. The order empowers enforcement by the Metropolitan Police and, council officers, with penalties applied through the issuance of fixed penalty notices or prosecution. The behaviour that the PSPO is designed to counter must: 

• be having or likely to have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality 
• be causing harassment, alarm, distress or annoyance

The current PSPO in Waltham Forest addresses the following types of behaviour: 

• No person shall refuse to stop drinking alcohol or refuse to hand over any containers when asked to do so by an officer 
• No person shall urinate, defecate, spit or litter in a public place 
• No gathering in groups of two (or more) engaging in nuisance or criminal behaviour 
• No person shall beg in an aggressive or intimidating manner 
• No verbal abuse or behaving in a way to cause harassment, alarm or distress to others 
• No parking on zig-zag markings outside schools 
• No moped/motorbikes to gather in groups of three (or more) or driving to cause harassment, alarm, distress or annoyance

PSPO enforcement can be carried out by police officers, PCSOs, Council officers, or those delegated by the Council. Breaching a PSPO restriction remains a criminal offence. 

Failure to comply is an offence carrying a maximum fine of £1000 or a £100 fixed penalty notice.

In response to resident concerns regarding disruptive 'car meets', large gatherings of cars that often cause a disturbance the Council has introduced a new PSPO which began in October 2024. 

This new order will complement the existing restrictions, ensuring that issues like anti-social driving, car racing, and disruptive car gatherings are addressed effectively.

The introduction of this additional PSPO follows a public consultation earlier in 2024, and it reflects the Council’s commitment to tackling emerging problems such as car meets and their impact on local communities in Waltham Forest. 

For further details on the current restrictions and enforcement in PSPO areas, and to access downloadable documents, please see: 

• Restrictions for PSPO Areas (PDF)
• Restrictions for car meets PSPOs (PDF) 
• Previous PSPO’s (PDF)