Police to Target Illegal Modified Exhausts on Weymouth Esplanade

Police have warned motorists that enforcement action will be stepped up against vehicles with illegally modified exhausts along Weymouth Esplanade after concerns were raised by local businesses.

Police have warned motorists that enforcement action will be stepped up against vehicles with illegally modified exhausts along Weymouth Esplanade after concerns were raised by local businesses.

Officers from the Weymouth and Portland Neighbourhood Policing Team said they will be carrying out proactive patrols and roadside checks over the coming weeks, with drivers found breaking the law facing immediate enforcement action.

The announcement follows a day of joint enforcement activity in Weymouth town centre, where neighbourhood officers supported Trading Standards during an operation at a vape shop on the Esplanade. Police said investigations are continuing alongside several partner agencies into offences that may have been committed at the premises.

Following the operation, officers conducted foot patrols around the town centre and spoke with local businesses, who reported ongoing concerns about vehicles with modified exhaust systems producing excessive "pops and bangs."

Police said exhaust modifications that make a vehicle significantly louder than its standard specification or create a public nuisance can be illegal.

Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, vehicles must not be unreasonably noisy. Officers warned that motorists responsible for unnecessary noise could face fixed penalty notices, fines or a Section 59 warning for anti-social vehicle use. Vehicles fitted with illegal modifications may also fail an MOT test and could be prohibited from being driven on the road.

The neighbourhood policing team said enforcement will focus particularly on Weymouth Esplanade, where complaints have been received.

In a message to motorists, officers urged drivers to ensure their vehicles remain road legal, adding that anti-social driving and excessive vehicle noise will not be tolerated.