Boy racers at retail park face legal curb
A PROPOSED injunction to ban boy racers from a retail park would cost taxpayers more than £10,000.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been working with police on an application for an order that would stop "car cruisers" congregating on Festival Park, following years of complaints from residents and businesses.
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Boy racers at retail park face legal curb
A confidential report leaked to The Sentinel reveals the injunction is expected to cost around £10,000 to set up, with further costs if the council needs to go back to the courts to have individuals named on the order.
But the report, prepared by the authority's neighbourhood services and highways departments, states that if the injunction was granted the current costs of regular police operations, litter and parking enforcement should go down.
A weekend operation last month, which saw police and other agencies targeting troublemakers at the site, cost £2,000. Operations of this kind are carried out regularly, but the report says a more long-term solution is needed.
The injunction application was due to be considered by the council's Executive Members Board tomorrow, but it has been removed from the agenda while further discussions about the legal implications of the proposal take place.
Christine Brain, secretary of Etruria Residents' Association, believes £10,000 is a small price to pay for the improvement an injunction would make.
She said: "Things like this do cost a lot to set up but once the initial investment is made money should be saved in the future.
"Over time people will realised they can't come to the area and cause a nuisance, so the police won't have to come out as much.
"If you think how many residents, businesses and other people are affected by the problem, £10,000 seems like good value."
A similar injunction granted in Nottingham has been credited for reducing problems there, and since it was introduced there have been just two recorded breaches.
If the council goes ahead with the proposed Festival Park injunction the exact area it would cover, and its terms, would be decided following consultation with residents and businesses at the site.
Police have gathered more than 50 statements about the problems caused by boy racers, which include noise, litter, fumes and dangerous driving.
Bosses at Waterworld and The Best Western Stoke-on-Trent Moat House hotel have already spoken to The Sentinel about problems caused by boy racers congregating on Festival Way.
The council report reveals that the Esporta sports complex, located in Festival Heights, now closes early on a Sunday because staff and customers have been intimidated by large numbers of cars on the car park.
Staff on early morning or evening shifts at Morrisons supermarket have also complained about feeling intimidated, and several deliveries have been delayed or disrupted by cars blocking the service entrance.
Tim Kiely, general manager of Waterworld, said he hoped the application would go ahead. He said: "As a business person I'm very pleased that this being pursued. I hope the application can be passed as soon as possible. To get the injunction up-and-running would be absolutely tremendous.
"I've read what's happened in Nottingham and the injunction there seems to have eradicated their problems."
19 Comments
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by amy, meir stoke
Thursday, July 02 2009, 11:34AM
“i see you are all kicking off again and to start about tax payers money what are you trying to say who ever is up there dosent work and as for the moat house it aint the best place to stay in the world is it really”
by Laura, stoke
Wednesday, October 08 2008, 9:07PM
“this really does annoy me. are we not alowwed to do anything. it is the minority that cause a problem.. ban them. dont stereotype us all. its called discrimination. those people living near fez were stupid enough to buy the houses there in the first place. give us something to do instead of moaning all the time!!! the only thing to do in stoke n trent is go out and get drunk!”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Wednesday, October 08 2008, 8:22AM
“Hears how to stop it. All the Car Parks by the shops would be locked after closeing time, thats areound 8 pm no later then 9 pm. Bang in a few more speed bumps and there you go, nowere to display these fine(lol) moter cars.”
by john, Shelton
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 10:57PM
“jonathan Weston,in your letter you display the typical mentality of why the residents and businesses won't you lot off there and by the way the car racket ETC engine and tyres screaming can be heard in Shelton at one and two in morning and them poor people who live on there pay council tax and mortgage for the privilege so do them all a favour and grow up and go away.”
by Cosworth, festival park
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 8:39PM
“it seems to me big dave is upset because he's in a hurry to get over the bumps, i see people like you every day on the festival park overtaking people who adhere to the rules of the road and drive slowly over the bumps, sound like you don't have much patience. these people enjoy showing off their cars and why not. you may not like the body kits or lowering but they do. i say each to their own.”
by cosworth, festival park
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 8:23PM
“i think you will find that we who drive over the speed humps at low speed are adhering to the restriction put in to stop people from bouncing over the humps. i think you will find that most of the kids just want to show off their care, body kits and lowing is a matter of taste”
by Big Dave, Stoke-On-Trent
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 7:42PM
“What makes you brainless and idiots are the idiotic styled cars you drive with ironing board spoilers and plastic tat bodykits. Why don't you ever tell your friends how bad their cars all look. I would if my mate stylistically abused his car in that way.
You make the classy Moat House Hotel look like Keele Service station. Not good for business, thats why they want you out.”
by Big Dave, Stoke-On-Trent
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 7:37PM
“The silly tat you put on your cars makes you idiots. It's amazing you don't realise or tell your friends how bad their cars look.
Bodykits make you look like complete idiots, Lowering your car is daft as everywhere in England has speed bumps. Nothing annoys me more been stuck behind one of you doing 2mph over a speed bump diagonally because your car is stupidly low.”
by saxo vt?, stoke on trent
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 6:19PM
“I don't see what the problem is with us boy/girl racers goin onto festival park!??? we can't speed as there are speed bumps, we dont make noise, we just meet there and chat about our cars! so big bill what makes us idiots and brainless???”
by Ian norris, tunstall
Tuesday, October 07 2008, 4:42PM
“"If the council goes ahead with the proposed Festival Park injunction the exact area it would cover, and its terms, would be decided following consultation with residents and businesses at the site."
If the injunction goes a head the area needs to be 15mile radius around festival park, to prevent moving the enthusiasts to Tunstall, Fenton, Wolstanton, Longton main shopping parking areas.”