Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced as part the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and were one several new tools for use by councils and their partners to address anti-social behaviour (ASB) in their local areas.

The Boroughwide PSPO in effect in Royal Greenwich is designed to improve the quality of life of all residents and visitors to the Royal Borough. In summer 2023, the Council consulted on replacing two existing PSPOs across key town centre priority areas, with orders which were aimed at tackling a wider range of known anti-social issues that were impacting local communities boroughwide.

At the end of the consultation over 75% of respondents supported the Council’s proposal to introduce the new boroughwide PSPO. In addition, it will remain an offence to possess any open container of alcohol in the priority areas of Eltham, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Greenwich Peninsula, Greenwich Cutty Sark and Woolwich.

The Orders remain will remain in force for three years from 31 October 2023.

View the borough-wide and priority area orders.

Boroughwide PSPO Order

Each individual PSPO order can be found below:

Dog Control

• Dog fouling (Boroughwide): Any person who without reasonable excuse, in any place to which the public have access whether on payment or otherwise, fails to immediately remove dog mess left by a dog in their control, or fails to remove dog mess when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.
• Leads (Boroughwide on public highways & housing land in Town Centres): Any person who without reasonable excuse, on any public highway or town centre as shown on the map, fails to keep a dog in their control on a lead, or fails to place a dog on a lead when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.
• Dog Exclusion Zones (Boroughwide): Any person who without reasonable excuse within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, allows a dog in their control to enter any enclosed outdoor children's play area where there is signage to say that dogs are not allowed, or fails to remove a dog when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Alcohol control where linked to ASB

Not to engage, either individually or with others, in any place to which the public have access whether on payment or otherwise, in alcohol-related anti-social or criminal behaviour, that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse, to surrender any alcohol in their possession and if requested, leave the area and not return for 48 hours when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Misuse of fireworks

Not to discharge (except at a Council authorised event) or throw any firework, in any place to which the public have access, whether on payment or otherwise. Also, any person who is reasonably believed to be intending to discharge or throw any firework in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, must surrender any firework in their possession and if requested, leave the area and not return for 48 hours when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer during the months of October and November.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse, to surrender any firework in their possession, or leave an area and not return for 48 hours when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Misuse of car parks

Not to consume illegal or psychoactive substances; solicit or procure for financial, sexual or other gain; engage in illegal or sexual activity; gather or loiter generally with others or engage in anti-social behaviour, within any car park.

Consumption of drugs and psychoactive substances

Not without reasonable excuse to, consume, inhale, inject or smoke, any substance capable of stimulating or depressing the central nervous system to create a ‘high’, in any place to which the public have access, whether on payment or otherwise.

Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to surrender any such substance in their possession, and if requested, leave the area and not return for 48 hours when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Foul or abusive language / threatening or intimidating behaviour

Not to use foul, abusive or threatening language or disorderly behaviour in any public place that is audible or visible to members of the public.

Making comments of a sexual or gender-based nature

Not to make lewd, obscene or sexist comments or gestures towards a member of the public.

Anti-social loitering within 10m of a cashpoint

Not to loiter at or within ten metres of any cash machine, unless waiting to use the machine for its proper purpose.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse to leave the area and not return for 48hrs when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Aggressive or persistent begging

Not to beg or solicit for money or food. This Includes:

• Begging aggressively and or persistently
• Pressuring any person by approaching or following them and or continuing to ask, or beg, for money or food.
• Using false or misleading information to persuade members of the public to give money, food or other items.

Anti-social use of vehicles on pavements/pedestrian areas

Not to ride or drive any self-propelled or mechanically propelled vehicle in any place to which the public have access, whether on payment or otherwise, in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse, to stop riding or driving any self-propelled or mechanically propelled vehicle in such a manner when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Anti-social use of amplification

Not to use amplified sound equipment in any public place, except for events or activities for which prior permission has been obtained, or permitted by law.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse to reduce the volume or stop using the amplification equipment, and if requested, leave the area and not return for 48 hours when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Restriction on significant anti-social behaviour, individually or as a group

Not to engage, either individually or with others, in any place to which the public have access whether on payment or otherwise, in anti-social or criminal behaviour, that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to the local community in [location] as shown on the map.

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse to stop the behaviour and if requested, leave the area as shown on the map and not return for 48hrs when asked to do so by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer, commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.

Priority Areas Order

Alcohol control

Not to be in possession of any open container, containing or purporting to contain alcohol, except in licenced premises in [location] as shown on the map

Any person who fails without reasonable excuse, to surrender any alcohol in their possession when asked to do so, and if requested, leave the area and not return to [location] for 48 hours by a Constable, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) or Council Officer commits an offence and may be liable to prosecution.