Community safety - lane gating
Alley gating
General principles
Central Bedfordshire Council has powers to gate a highway in order to prevent crime or ASB from occurring.
In general, rights of way do not cause or facilitate crime. Anti-social behaviour is a wider social problem, the root of which cannot be tackled by reducing access to a public highway. The provisions in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act limits Gating Orders use to alleyways where it can be shown that persistent crime and ASB is expressly facilitated by the use of certain rights of way.
Consideration of other tools to tackle crime and ASB
Gating orders are not the only solution to tackling crime and ASB on certain highways. Before proposing an order, consideration must be given to whether there are alternative measures that may be more appropriate (and cost effective) for tackling the specific problems, which do not involve gating the highway. Government advice gives examples of the installation of security lighting and CCTV. Gating orders should be seen as a last resort.
Procedure
The use of a gating order will only be considered in the following circumstances:
i) on public highways (generally urban alleyways) where it can be shown that persistent crime and/or serious ASB is occurring and is expressly facilitated by the use of the public highway. Written documentary evidence is required from the police and or local crime reduction partnership to confirm that persistent crime and/or antisocial behaviour is occurring;
ii) in locations where local residents and the local crime reduction partnership have been consulted and both support a highway closure to deter persistent crime and/or serious ASB. (Following the reduction of the crime or the ASB, temporary restrictions should be reviewed and a decision taken on whether or not the order could beneficially be varied or revoked.)
iii) where residents and members of the public who use the relevant highway would not be inappropriately inconvenienced by its gating, and a suitable alternative access route exists. If there is any doubt over the availability of alternate routes and/or the proposed times the gates will be closed, a Health Impact Assessment should be carried out;
iv) where careful consideration has been given to the impact a potential order might have on disabled users of the highway and alternative routes are free from obstructions, are substantially as convenient in length and are suitably paved. During the installation of gates, consideration must be given to the height of the locks and the ease with which they can be opened and closed by disabled users;
v) when alternative solutions for tackling the specific problems being experienced, such as the installation of security lighting, CCTV, increased police officer surveillance or neighbourhood watch, have been fully investigated or tried, and have been found to be ineffective or prohibitively more costly than gating.
vi) suitable arrangements can be made for the consistent and timely opening and closing of the gates.
Working in Partnership on Anti-social Behaviour
Central Bedfordshire Council work with our partners in the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to tackle anti social behaviour.