Letter: Party-goers Force The Mount Into a No-Go Area for Residents After 8pm

Published on: 30 Jun, 2020
Updated on: 30 Jun, 2020

From Name and address supplied

The levels of anti-social behaviour being reported to Surrey Police and Guildford Borough Council for the Mount in Guildford at now at a record high.

Residents of Henley Fort, Green Lane, The Mount, Mountside, Wodeland Avenue, Mareschal Road and Guildown Avenue are having to experience some of the highest levels of anti-social behaviour in Guildford.

Every evening now, on the north side of the Mount, large groups of youths are congregating for parties and barbeques. The single track bridleway is clearly signposted warning motorists not to park there but every evening after 8pm it is blocked with cars.

A fire engine couldn’t access a blaze behind Henley Fort on Wednesday (June 24), residents online groceries aren’t being delivered and Thames Water, Vodafone and O2 cannot access the reservoir and radio transmitters due to cars blocking the gates.

I’m told residents are calling Surrey Police most evenings to report loud music, cars racing up and down the bridleway, intimidating and abusive behaviour and access to homes being blocked.

Most mornings, a small group of volunteers from The Mount, Mountside, Wodeland Ave and Henley Fort remove drug paraphernalia, condoms, nitrous oxide bottles, used balloons, syringes, tin-foil balls that contain burnt crack cocaine and bags of plastic bottles and disposable BBQ sets.

Who and where are our local PCSO and Sergeant? They seem to change on a quarterly basis.

Why is Surrey Police not patrolling the area regularly, why are they allowing outdoor groups of more than six people to congregate (an offence under lockdown rules), why are they not stopping and searching motorists when the area is known for drug-dealing and substance abuse, and why are they not ticketing motorists or at least asking them to move vehicles blocking access to homes, the education centre and the transmitter farm?

Surrey Police replied: “We are aware of the concerns and have received reports in relation to anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of The Mount.

“Officers from the local neighbourhood team stepped up patrols in the area and are looking at ways to resolve the ongoing issues in the area in partnership with other local agencies.

“All reports are dealt with in as timely a way as possible and are assessed in terms of threat, harm and risk. We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the local community and partner agencies.

“Details of the officers in  local neighbourhood team in the Your Area section of the Surrey Police website https://www.police.uk/

“Police have no powers to enforce social distancing in terms of the current government guidance to remain two metres apart.

“In terms of the lockdown restrictions, officers follow a common-sense approach defined by the “Four Es”, engage, explain, encourage and (only as a last resort) enforce.

“In terms of the enforcement of bridleway restrictions, there are offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, but enforcement comes down to managing competing demand and identifying resources where they are most needed.

“To contact us or to report a crime, please call 101 or go to https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

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