Cyclists and dog walkers facing crackdown on Hove seafront

The chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council is writing to the city’s police chief asking that officers deal with serious breaches of by-laws on the promenade and use CCTV to catch offenders.

Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth, who brought a number of proposals before council, said by-laws should include taking action against rogue cyclists and owners having dogs off leads.

He began his speech advocating the measures by holding up a copy of The Argus’s front page after Rico Wojtulewicz was repeatedly punched in Grand Avenue, Hove.

He said: “By-laws are important tools of councils, and residents are frustrated that they are not being properly enforced.

“The council funds many CCTV cameras across the city with the data being accessed principally from Sussex Police HQ in Lewes.

“At the moment the council uses its data feed at Hove Town Hall for traffic enforcement but not for the protection of public property.

“This CCTV could be used to tackle damage to council-owned property and serious by-law breaches to act as an extra disincentive to crime and antisocial behaviour.”

Earlier this year, The Argus reported how seafront officers are tackling a rising tide of law-breaking dog walkers and cyclists in Brighton and Hove.

A report to councillors said that increasing numbers of dog owners were breaking the by-law requiring all dogs on the prom to be on a lead.

Councillors also heard that many people were breaking the ban on riding a bike along much of the promenade in Hove.

The letter to The Divisional Commander of Sussex Police is one of a number of actions the council decided on to tackle antisocial behaviour in the area.

These actions also include improving seafront signage to make existing rules clearer and prioritising clean-ups of graffiti hotspots such as the King Alfred and Hove Lagoon.

It also includes buying up to £500 of graffiti wipes that would be made available free of charge from the Seafront Office to anybody wishing to clean up graffiti on the seafront.

Cllr Nemeth, an avid fan of the wipes, said: “I’ve had my own pack of graffiti wipes and used them over the past year many times now.

“I’ve used the same packet of wipes for one year, clearing 20 incidents. One wipe clears one piece of graffiti and a packet is £5.

“So for a tiny investment if all seafront lovers knew that they could just wander down to the Seafront Office and for £5 a pop they could get rid of graffiti, that would be a wonderful thing and make a real difference”

The action to tackle antisocial behaviour in the area came after police had to clear teenagers off Hove Lawns after “pockets” of violence broke out during a large gathering of youths.

On June 24, officers issued a dispersal order for the green near Grand Avenue after fighting was reported among the massive gathering of teenagers on Hove seafront.