With Parliament on its summer recess, a constituency MP has returned to the streets to hear persistent worries about crime, telling constituents that low-level offending and recurring late-night disorder are eroding public confidence in policing and local justice.
Local concerns, national implications
The MP said residents expressed alarm about widespread antisocial behaviour in towns and villages across the constituency. Particular problems were reported in Horsham and nearby communities: youths climbing onto roofs in West Street; repeated vandalism in Billingshurst; and a resurgence of late-night street racing along the A264 and parts of the A24, including Kilnwood Vale.
She described a perception among locals that some offenders operate with impunity and that victims may be reluctant to report crimes because previous calls for help have not delivered a satisfactory response. The MP said she had visited the police response centre in Lewes, which handles public calls and emails, and suggested that if the centre’s responses fall short the public will stop bothering to report problems.
- Antisocial behaviour: roof-climbing in Horsham, vandalism in Billingshurst.
- Street racing: recurrent late-night racing on the A264 and A24 corridors, notably Kilnwood Vale.
- Retail crime: shoplifting affecting traders and the vitality of local high streets.
On retail theft, the MP said the continued health of high streets in the area remained a priority. She reported conversations with magistrates at the local court who, she was told, possess powers to tackle persistent offenders, but that a disconnect exists between powers on paper and effective outcomes for shopkeepers.
Proposed steps and practical measures
To tackle dangerous driving and organised street racing, the MP advocated the installation of average speed cameras at one or more locations, arguing that fixed camera infrastructure would be more effective than relying on police call-outs in situations where response times are inevitably limited.
She said she would continue to press for action on the issues raised during pop-up surgeries in supermarkets, pubs and town-hall style question times held during the summer tour of the constituency.
| Issue | Location | Suggested response |
|---|---|---|
| Roof climbing by youths | West Street, Horsham | Local enforcement, community outreach |
| Vandalism | Billingshurst | Improved reporting, targeted policing |
| Late-night street racing | A264, A24 (Kilnwood Vale) | Average speed cameras, traffic enforcement |
| Shoplifting | Horsham high street and district | Magistrates action, better conviction pathways |
The MP emphasised the emotional as well as the practical impact of these offences. In Horsham, she noted that some residents live in attic flats along West Street and that roof incursions are “frightening as well as dangerous”, creating distress for those affected.
She also highlighted the role of local courts. After visiting the magistrates’ court, she reported being told that the court has the necessary powers to deal with repeat offenders. The gap, she said, lies between available powers and the outcomes experienced by traders and victims.
What this means beyond one constituency
Although the accounts are drawn from a single MP’s summer constituency tour, the themes mirror wider national debates about policing priorities, response capacity and how best to use technology and the courts to deter repeat low-level criminality. Calls for average speed cameras, better resourcing for call-handling centres and clearer pathways from reporting to prosecution are likely to resonate with MPs and councils elsewhere facing similar complaints.
The MP said she would continue to press police and relevant agencies for solutions. She intends to keep raising the issues heard on the doorstep while Parliament remains on recess.
