TRADERS have welcomed police plans to cut vandalism and disorder this summer by setting up town centre dispersal zones for the first time.

Swale officers launched Operation Excalibur today in parts of Sittingbourne, Sheerness and Faversham town centres. The joint initiative with the borough council will last six weeks and will target anti-social behaviour and nuisance crime.

The move follows a successful three-week dispersal initiative in Kemsley when 83 people were forced to move on.

The dispersal area in Sittingbourne will centre on the High Street and a 'square' around it which is bordered by Park Road, the Avenue of Remembrance, Bell Road, St Michael’s Road and Station Street.

Norman Mount, chairman of Sittingbourne Retailers’ Association (SRA), said: "I think it’s an excellent idea. With great respect to young people, there are a minority who spoil it for the rest of them. It’s a small minority who cause trouble."

High Street shopkeeper Vic Brobyn, an SRA member, said: "I favour making it more pleasant for people to shop here, providing it is not done in a heavy-handed way."

Malcolm Moore, chairman of the Sittingbourne Society, also supported the initiative, particularly if it reduced rowdy behaviour during the evenings.

But he added: "It’s only as effective as the enforcement. I don’t see a lot of police presence in the High Street these days."

Insp Bryan Whittaker, who is in charge of the operation, said officers will, when necessary, use their powers to remove alcohol from people in the dispersal zone, confiscate tobacco or alcohol from under-age people and issue warnings to people using vehicles in an anti-social way. When appropriate, officers will seize vehicles.

He added: "Historically we tend to see a rise in incidents of nuisance crime during the summer period.

"This is the first time that Swale police have enforced three dispersal areas in all of the borough’s town centres. I feel this will be effective as our statistics have shown that these are the places that experience a higher level of anti-social behaviour at key times.

"We want to ensure that all residents of Swale, both young and old, have an enjoyable summer and not have it spoilt by people acting in a rowdy fashion.

"Every resident has the right to feel safe walking the streets and we intend to use every power available to us to ensure this is the case."