Notting Hill carnival - interim report

11/01
13 February 2001

Toby Harris, Chair of the MPA today welcomed the recommendations outlined in the Carnival Review Group's Interim Report.

"Notting Hill Carnival is London's largest cultural festival and attracts thousands of people every year from within London, around the country and overseas

"Public safety has to be the first consideration for such an event. Effective crowd management is essential, and the Review Group has recommended that additional resources are made available to increase and train both stewards and route marshals. This in turn would free up police officers to deal more effectively with crime prevention and detection. It is important that those people who come to the Carnival to commit crime and cause disruption for other visitors realise that they will be dealt with robustly by police.

"The carnival route and location is also important in this context. Although the Carnival rightly belongs in Notting Hill, the adoption of a non circular route, as recommended in the report, would help prevent crowd density and congestion building up to potentially dangerous levels.

"Other issues which would make the Carnival more user friendly for both residents and visitors have also been reviewed. This includes the provision of better public facilities, information and signage, and improved transport to and from the area.

"Over the years, Notting Hill Carnival has done much to bring the various communities of London together. It is the responsibility of all the agencies involved to work together to make this weekend as safe and successful as possible. The recommendations outlined in this report go some way to making those aims more achievable although time will be of the essence if they are to be implemented before Carnival 2001."

The Mayor, Ken Livingstone, announced the review of Carnival in September 2000 following concerns about overcrowding, public safety and a reported rise in the level of crime committed at the event. Tragically two young men, Abdul Bhatti and Greg Watson were murdered during Carnival 2000. The purpose of the Review is to examine the future development of Notting Hill Carnival.

Notes to editors

The Metropolitan Police Authority took over responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service from the Home Secretary on 3 July.

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