Noise at night in Tennis Street

Hello

I live on Long Lane, next to Tennis Street.

Since about last Saturday, some one has been riding a scooter up and down Tennis Street most nights (certainly on Wednesday, Thursday, and last night).

It is very loud. It makes a noise like a lawnmower. This happens at night, between 11pm and 2am. Often the scooter will go up and down the road, disappear for a few minutes, and then come back again. It does not appear that the scooter rider is going from A to B on a genuine journey; more like A to B to A to B just for fun.

The noise has woken me up or disturbed me whilst I have been reading or working at my computer. I can deal with some of the noisy tenants at the nice flats on Long Lane, because their music usually stops at 11pm and doesn't occur on weekdays. But this noise is much more of a nuisance.

Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Is there anything I can do? Does this count as a 'nuisance' in law, or not, because the scooter rider isn't making noise from his or her property? I don't want to waste police or council time, and I don't want to approach the scooter rider, but at the same time I would like him or her to be more reasonable, especially at that time of the night. Thanks.

We had this problem, with someone driving up The Cut everyday for years at 6am on a noisy motorbike. Finally someone asked the neighborhood police to help, and they turned up and stopped him one morning. He was actually on a classic bike that was very noisy, and hadn't realized the disturbance he was causing.

I don't know if it would work for you, as the police need a regular routine if they are to catch someone, but it seems worth asking, they might be able to help.

We had a load of trouble round Neckinger Estate with this sort of thing due to Mini Motos until someone explained to the Police that they were allowed to impound them.

Get on to the police and try and get photos, especially of the plate if there is one. It is some sort of joy rider and midnight to 2am is not the time to joy ride anywhere, let alone in one of the most overcrowded boroughs in London.

Dear Nigel_S

From your address it appears you're a Council resident, i.e. tenant or leaseholder. If you're renting privately from someone who owns a lease in a Council block the following info. still applies:-

* First you should complain to Southwark's local Housing Officer, who I believe is Susan Snell; email address: Susan.Snell@southwark.gov.uk

As backup I suggest you copy in the lady who is Housing Manager for Tabard estate: Modupe.Somoye@southwark.gov.uk

* Here's the link for Borough & Bankside Area Housing Office on the Council website:

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/public/azservices.aspx?mode=Display&itemId=9877

(N.B. the land address of BBAHO is now 169 Long Lane.)

* The AHO page contains further contact info., including the number of the Environment call centre. I suggest you ring that every time the noise nuisance occurs. I appreciate ringing the noise team can be frustrating, since by the time someone attends the noise may have ceased. However, all calls made are logged, and thereby help the Council gather evidence to support later action, so ringing each time does asist your position.)

* As well as doing the above you should also inform Southwark Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (SASBU, part of Council) on 0207 232 7001 or sasbu@southwark.gov.uk

The Council website has separate pages on SASBU and Anti-Social Behaviour which you may wish to consult.

* Finally you could also approach Tabard Gardens North Tenants & Residents Association - see noticeboards for details. (Fyi I'm from the neighbouring TRA which doesn't cover your part.)

I hope this assists.

Lionel Wright
Chair, Tabard Gardens Central TRA

...as opposed to expecting the police to do their job.

I think lionel is right, there's a variety of agencies who deal with anti-social behaviour, and it's right go speak to them all, and I don't think you can say the police aren't doing their job when they haven't even been asked yet!

It does sound like the type of thing you should let your safer neighbourhood team know about - chaucer.snt@met.police.uk

Keith E. Hunter
(Commander, Metropolitan Police 1981-87) wrote:

I saw that multi-agency initiatives brought with them as many disadvantages as advantages. The enforced taking of a back seat by police soon led to their infection by theory and ideology-driven approaches, to the extent that many began to share the prevailing distaste for stricter, quicker, authoritative intervention. This was always viewed as precipitate, even when, in reality, justified. Passing the parcel became an unavoidable symptom.

He wasn't referring to anti-social noise, but it's analogous. 6 agencies + websites are referenced for such a basic problem.

I posted as a volunteer tenant & resident rep. on the same estate to try and help Nigel_S (presumably one purpose of this Forum). I'm not responsible for the Council & legal framework which someone suffering nuisance has to negotiate.

* I rang the housing office to check the name of the relevant Housing Officer but couldn't get through. In case it wasn't who I thought/she was sick etc., I gave the complainant the manager's name as well to increase their chances of getting an early response.

* I added the AHO weblink for background info. - including contact details for the Environment call centre through which the noise team can be contacted.

* The Council has a separate team dealing with anti-social behaviour. SASBU, the noise/environment section and housing management all have an involvement and a responsibility. They're 3 sections of the same local authority and that's just the way it is. Housing management is different from dealing with noise management and in turn each are different to specialist work against ASB.

* TRAs such as my own and TG North are not 'agencies' in the same league as the police and LBS, but independent community groups with meagre funding and no paid staff, which are run by local residents donating their time - who in doing so are often hard-pressed.

* For this reason I'll answer any pertinent question the original posting member raises but cannot spend any more time engaging with the musings of ivory tower commentators.

Nigel_S has a right to sleep peacefully - that's all this thread should be about.

Lionel Wright

Just to back up James' point. I think the Police Safer Neighbourhood team would be able to help. I have certainly found them responsive in the past to these kind of issues.