We live on a major road and can’t sleep due to boy racers – you can hear them for miles… it’s like a racetrack
RESIDENTS who live on a major road say they are unable to sleep due to boy racers treating their area like a racetrack.
Disgruntled families living on the A34 have had enough of “revving” petrolheads causing chaos between Trentham and Stafford in Stoke-on-Trent.
The motorists are said to slow down before “accelerating to ridiculous speeds to race”.
Staffordshire Police have received dozens of complaints about the issue in recent months.
Desperate families are now calling 999 to report the boy racers – after waiting too long to reach the police on 101.
It comes as Stafford Borough Council has started a public consultation to try to ban car meets and car cruising on the A34.
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) would be in place for three years and run between Trentham Estate and Redhill, on the outskirts of Stafford.
Borough councillor Jill Hood told StokeonTrentLive: “I live on the A34 and I’ve witnessed it. I’ve watched them taunt each other as they’ve slowed right down, then accelerate to ridiculous speeds to race.
“It’s a hazard to residents and other road users and dangerous, especially as it takes place late at night.
“Police have reported an increase in these activities, and as someone who lives on the car cruising route, I can tell you it’s very noisy and can be heard from miles around.”
Clllr Hood said that cops have said they understand the negative impact the cruisers’ behaviour can have on people living in the area.
She added: “It affects people in many ways and it’s relentless.
“If left unchallenged, families living on the estates close to the business park where they meet have to put up with shouting over the noises of revving engines for long periods of time. They suffer sleep deprivation and it can be quite debilitating.”
Cllr Hood continued: “The PSPO will prevent car cruising and car meets on the A34 for three years.
“Those who don’t comply may receive a penalty notice of £100, which could be reduced to £75 if paid within 10 days – or if convicted at magistrates’ court they may receive a fine of £1,000.
“The cost to the council will be met from existing resources. Extra signage costs need to be contained within our existing budgets.”
One resident added: “Some nights it’s been awful because they cruise round our estate for hours.”
Council deputy leader Rob Kenney added: “Anybody who lives on elevated land on either side of the Trent Valley, not just adjacent to the A34, is also blighted by it as well.”
It affects people in many ways and it’s relentless, it can be debilitating.”
Councillor Jill Hood
The Sun have contacted Stafford Borough Council for comment.
It comes after locals living under the M60 flyover have slammed “screeching” boy racers for keeping them up in the middle of the night.
Those living in Moss Vale Crescent in Greater Manchester have been left terrified after a horror crash took out a wall.
And a shocking video shows how illegal car meets are turning a millionaires’ playground into a dangerous Monaco-like racing circuit.
Cops last week were forced to break-up one of the largest “boy racer” meets in years when up to 50 petrolheads descended on the exclusive Sanbanks peninsula in Poole Harbour, Dorset.