Car meets are on the rise at Cheddar Gorge, police said

Police stepping up efforts after rise in car ‘cruise’ meets at Somerset beauty spot

Paul JonesFebruary 25, 20260 Comment0

POLICE are stepping up operations to tackle car meets at a Somerset beauty spot amid concerns over noise, disruption and road safety.

Avon & Somerset Police said there had been a recent rise of the gatherings in the Cheddar Gorge area.

A spokesperson said in a newsletter for residents: “We know the impact of this has been felt across the village – through noise, disruption and road safety concerns.

“We have heard your frustrations. We also recognise that our communication has not always been as clear or timely as it should have been.”

They said the meets, which can see dozens of vehicles gather to drive on the road network around the gorge, can be “organised quickly, often through social media or private message groups which the police are often unable to access or regularly monitor”.

“It may involve cars travelling from outside the area and from across different areas of the UK,” they went on.

“Tackling this requires coordinated work between the local community, police, the relevant local authorities and other partner agencies.”

Last August, the police introduced a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) for the area, allowing officers to order cars to disburse.

Since then, it has been used 13 times, the force said, but not “always as well as it could have been”.

“We are now reviewing how we use it to make sure it is as effective as possible, while balancing the needs of local businesses and the wider public,” the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, they said more than 400 traffic offences had been recorded between January and February this year, including speeding, dangerous and drug driving.

Patrols are set to be increased, with specialist roads policing officers involved, alongside regular meetings with groups and other agencies, including the Cheddar Road Safety Community Group.