EXETER police have been given permission to re-instate a dispersal order in the city centre.
The so-called section 30 started on Monday and will run for six months.
The area covered by the new order runs down Sidwell Street and takes in the High Street, Cathedral Yard and Green, Northernhay Gardens and stretches down to the top of Fore Street.
An earlier Section 30 for the city centre covered a much larger area but had lapsed.
PC Robert Dodd, of the city centre's neighbourhood team, said: "We have had an increase in anti-social behaviour in the city centre, particularly drinking so we were keen to get this in place for the summer.
"It is a slightly smaller area than was covered before but we wanted to be able to robustly police a smaller more confined area rather than have a diluted presence in a larger area.
"Anti social behaviour has continued to rise throughout Exeter city centre. Members of the public tell us that nuisance behaviour and begging are a real concern for them.
"We continue to work collaboratively with our partners and other agencies to find a long term solution to these issues"
Steve Stewart, the city council's anti-social behaviour officer, said: "We spent quite a bit of time discussing this Section 30 and made sure that we involved everybody, including St Petrock's and Gabriel House.
"It could have covered a bigger area but where do you stop? It is difficult to resource if the area is too big and the police have said that this area is what they need to cover to be able to do it properly."
A section 30 dispersal order provides police officers and PCSOs the power to move on groups of two or more people whose behaviour has resulted or is likely to result in anti social behaviour.
The order commenced on Monday, July 21 and will last for six months.
Those told to leave are not allowed to return for a period of up to 24 hours and refusal or returning during the specified time may lead to arrest.
