Police clampdown on boy racers

POLICE in Felixstowe are today cracking down on boy-racers causing problems on the seafront.

The summer campaign is tackling nuisance drivers who roar up and down Sea Road, to try to prevent anti-social behaviour.

Special Constabulary officers are at the forefront of the campaign and in the first weekend of the initiative they issued 17 tickets to motorists caught driving in an anti-social way.

South Felixstowe Safer Neighbourhood Team chief Sgt Jim Gooding said police would continue to work to tackle the problem.

He said: “These nuisance drivers are often termed boy racers but they are by no means always young or male.

“We have no issues with those who want to drive around the town lawfully but we will look to prosecute anyone using a motor vehicle anti-socially regardless of their age.

“Historically, the number of incidents reported to and witnessed by police have increased in the summer months, with the main concerns of local residents revolving around noise, manner of driving and gatherings of vehicles.

“With this in mind we have been actively targeting those areas that have previously been highlighted including the seafront and town centre, providing a uniformed presence and stopping those vehicles acting in an anti-social way.

“The Special Constabulary have done a good job to date to support this campaign and this is reflected in the results.”

Residents have complained about the speed of cars on Sea Road and around the side streets, noise from vehicles, handbrake turns, and dangers to pedestrians and other motorists.

As well as issuing tickets for driving offences, officers can inspect vehicles and issue tickets for faults as part of the campaign. They also have the power to confiscate vehicles if a person is caught on more than two occasions for anti social behaviour.

n Is the police campaign working? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk