The car park at a spot notorious for its use by strangers for public sexual encounters will close until further notice.

As previously reported in the Recorder, some users of Tylers Common, off Nags Head Lane, on the border of Upminster and Harold Wood, had threatened to photograph and shame users of the ‘dogging’ site on the internet, citing a lack of action by the authorities in stopping the activities.

Havering Council announced last week that the car park will be closed from Wednesday (November 9) while it removes vegetation from the outskirts of the site.

The council said that increased monitoring of the site did have some effect, but further reports from residents suggested that the site was being used for illegal activity when patrol cars were not in the area.

While the car park is closed the council will work to improve visibility and make the area less secluded.

Cllr Andrew Curtin, cabinet member for culture, towns and communities, said: “We don’t want to inconvenience the majority of people but, we, along with local residents are fed up and we have taken this step to stamp out the suspicious behaviour that has been reported.

“We hope to re-open the car park to the public as soon as possible.”

The council will continue to patrol the site and other parks and open spaces and has threatened that anyone caught doing anything illegal will be reported to police and could face prosecution.

Alternative car parking for those who use the site legitimately is available at nearby Pages Wood.

Last month the Recorder was contacted by one user of the common who said: “My daughter was riding her horse there and saw two men at it. My daughter’s 18 and she was absolutely disgusted, but some of the children who use the common are just 10 or 11 years old.

“People are saying that they are going to take photos of people and cars going in there and put them on Facebook or YouTube to act as a deterrent.”

A website aimed at ‘doggers’ describes the site as: “A great place to get naked. Straight, bi, or gay. Some great hiding places to watch others play whilst hidden.”