Redbridge prostitution PSPO extension opens for consultation
Published: 7 May 2021
In August 2018 Redbridge became the first London borough to introduce a three-year Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to target people using prostitutes. The scheme allowed police officers and council enforcement officers to issue fines for people caught buying sexual services on the streets of Redbridge.
Since its introduction nearly 200 fixed penalty notices have been issued and the demand for prostitution has dropped significantly, with the number of women involved in street prostitution dropping by approximately 83%. This scheme’s success has seen other London boroughs introduce their own PSPOs to tackle prostitution.
The scheme has been introduced alongside increased CCTV monitoring and police interventions to tackle the problem of prostitution in Redbridge.
This PSPO is nearing its expiry date and the Council will seek to extend it for a further three years to ensure that the sale of sex on the streets of Redbridge can continue to be dealt with quickly and to prevent levels increasing back to their previous amount.
Councillor Khayer Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Crime, Safety and Community Cohesion said: “Tackling the sale of sex on the streets of Redbridge is a priority for the Council. To achieve this we were the first borough in the country to implement a scheme dedicated solely to the issue and I am glad to see if has proven effective by reducing the number of people buying and selling sex across Redbridge.
“The increased enforcement powers have deterred people from soliciting in public places and helped make our streets a safer place for residents.
“Extending the scheme will ensure that we can continue to crack down on street prostitution. I would encourage all residents to take part in this consultation and give us your feedback on the scheme.”
In order to achieve this extension, the Council needs the support of local residents. Please tell us your thoughts on this initiative by filling in a short survey here: https://engagement.redbridge.gov.uk/communities/pspoextension/
