Stone community leaders have welcomed plans to ban boy racer meets and car cruising along one of the town’s main roads.
More than 40 complaints and requests for police attendance have been received regarding issues along the A34 between Trentham and Redhill, on the outskirts of Stafford.
Stone councillors have said revving engines and shouting have kept residents awake. Community Protections Warnings have already been issued to people involved in the antisocial activity, but a tougher measure could be introduced for three years.
A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is being considered for the A34 between the Stoke-on-Trent boundary and Junction 14 of the M6. It would ban car meets and car cruising, and anyone caught breaching the order would face financial penalties.
Stafford Borough Council’s cabinet agreed on Tuesday, May 7th, to a consultation on the proposed PSPO. Once the consultation has ended and a further report has been presented to the cabinet, a decision will be made on whether or not to grant the order.
Councillor Jill Hood, cabinet member for community, said:
“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.
“Police say they understand the negative impact the cruisers’ behaviour can have on people living in the area. 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.
“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.”
Councillor Hood added that residents calling Staffordshire Police’s non-emergency 101 line were now being directed to dial 999, which had alleviated some of the problems. And she shared a fellow Stone resident’s experiences.
The resident said: “Some nights it’s been awful because they cruise round our estate for hours. After numerous attempts to report it online to police and phoning 101, to no avail, I decided to ring 999.
“They were absolutely brilliant and advised every time it happened to do the same thing so they could send someone out while it was actually happening, which they did. Can’t fault them.”
Deputy leader Rob Kenney said:
“I absolutely welcome this. The majority of the A34 that this specifies is within Trent Valley, and 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.”
