Street drinking curbed in Lowestoft

SIGNS are going up in Lowestoft, warning of the boundaries of the town's Designated Public Places Order. From March 1, it will be an offence to fail to comply with a request from a police officer to stop drinking in this area.

SIGNS are going up in Lowestoft, warning of the boundaries of the town's Designated Public Places Order.

From March 1, it will be an offence to fail to comply with a request from a police officer to stop drinking in this area.

Waveney District Council, Suffolk Police and the Community Safety Partnership are working to target anti-social street drinking in the town. After police compiled a report highlighting the issues, the council approved the implementation of the scheme back in November 2008 and preparations are taking place for the introduction of a Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) on March 1.

The DPPO will provide police officers with additional powers to confiscate alcohol and take action against those involved in anti-social drinking. It will make it an offence to drink alcohol after being requested not to do so by a police officer. The police will have the power to require the surrender of alcohol and containers in these circumstances and those who fail to comply will be liable to arrest.

The areas that are affected are Harbour Central, North and South Ward, Kirkley North, South and West Ward, and part of the Wards of Oulton Broad and Whitton (to include the Bridge Road area and Nicholas Everitt Park). Signs have been placed around the town to clearly mark these boundaries.

For more details about the DPPO and pictures of the new scheme being launched, be sure to buy this Friday's Lowestoft Journal.