Published: Saturday, 17th May, 2008 18:05
Crackdown on boy racers
By Lorraine Tinney
Print Article
WARNING: Chief Inspector Jim Igoe
BOY racers in noisy souped-up cars are causing havoc on the streets of Gourock.
Residents, sickened by the din of roaring exhausts and music blaring at all hours of the night, are demanding a crackdown on the menace.
And now boy racers face having the brakes put on them after police warned they could confiscate their cars.
One King Street resident, who didn’t want to be named, told the Tele: “It’s getting out of hand. It’s hellish. We saw one car howling down Broomberry Drive one Saturday morning at what must have been around 80mph.
“I suffer from ill health and they are invading my right to peace and quiet with noise pollution.
“I often get woken up at 2.30am with the noise of the exhausts. They start in the afternoon and it goes on to the early hours of the morning.
“They race down Cardwell Road, hammer up Broomberry Drive, up Drumshantie Road and into Midton.”
Ward councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld highlighted the hot spots of King Street, Royal Street, John Street, Broomberry Drive and Drumshantie Drive to traffic police in Greenock.
He said: “It has become an absolute nightmare for people who live in these areas. It’s totally unacceptable — they are treating these roads like a race track and it’s becoming unbearable.
“It is very clear to me a significant number of people in these areas have had enough and I will give them 100 per cent support. I have spoken to police to get this fixed.”
Traffic cops are now poised to crack down on the culprits by seizing their cars or fining them for using ‘high-performance’ exhaust kits.
Chief Inspector Jim Igoe said: “We’ve received letters highlighting the problem in several streets in Gourock and the Esplanade in Greenock.
“These drivers are drawing attention with these exhausts. They might not actually be speeding, but we will use our anti-social behaviour powers to the full. If they commit another offence within 12 months, the car will be seized and they would have to pay for its return.
“They are breaking the law by using these exhausts which are not for use on the road. They are also annoying and disturbing people and affecting their quality of life.”
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