A CRACKDOWN on yobs in York was today hailed a success, exactly a month after it was launched.

Police and local councillors say antisocial behaviour in New Earswick has been greatly reduced, since police set up a dispersal zone in the village.

The six-month dispersal order was passed in response to growing problems in the village in recent months, including a number of arson attacks on vehicles.

The order, passed under the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003, means police can break up and move on any group behaving menacingly within the zone. Extra police have been deployed in the area in the past month, and they say the problems have been brought under control.

Local officer PC Paul Beckwith said: "Reports of antisocial behaviour in New Earswick are lower than they have been previously, prior to the dispersal order, and from patrolling it myself, there has been nothing major to report."

He said residents should not think the zone will mean groups no longer gather, but rather that they can be moved on if their behaviour could be deemed menacing.

He said: "Where two or more people are gathered and the behaviour of that group is causing, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress to others, then the group can be ordered to disperse."

Last week, a brick bus stop in the village was removed, having become a meeting spot for youngsters. But PC Beckwith said it was being replaced by a normal City of York Council shelter, and said the change had been planned for some time.

Local councillors also praised the dispersal order. Carol Runciman said: "Things have been better. I have had less reports of trouble, and the parish council has had less reports of trouble. Whether that will last, we do not know, but we have got the order in place now."

Coun Runciman urged residents to report any cases of antisocial behaviour to the police, so they could be logged and recorded.

Her fellow councillor, Keith Hyman, said: "The dispersal zone is helping. Things are getting quiet, but as we get into the lighter nights we have to keep an eye on it."

Anyone under 16 who breaches the order by harassing or intimidating the public after 9pm can be arrested, fined up to £5,000 or sent to a young offenders' institute for six months.

Updated: 09:23 Tuesday, May 02, 2006