Community tensions are at risk of “boiling over” after reckless racers returned to the Pinewood area of Ipswich.
A councillor for the area has even called for the offenders’ cars to be crushed after the nuisance drivers continued to blight residents lives as they have done for more than a year.
Groups of drivers have been gathering in the car park of the Tesco Extra at Copdock, driving through the nearby winding streets and along Old London Road, which runs parallel to the A12.
An increased police presence deterred the behaviour temporarily last year, but drivers started congregating at the Interchange Retail Park in June and, according to one county councillor, tensions are at risk of “boiling over”.
MORE: Calls for VAT cuts on beer as more pubs open their doors
Christopher Hudson, county councillor for Belstead Brook, said an example needed to be made of the drivers.
“This pestilence needs to be cleared out of Pinewood. They are making a hell of a lot of noise with their exhausts and their horns when they are driving on Old London Road.
“I’m not sure if this is something to do with lockdown, but I’ve been told by the chairman of the parish council the community is a boiling point – something needs to be done.
“I would wish to make an example of them. If one of the drivers was caught, then a one-month or three-month ban from the roads would send a message.
“If they were caught twice, I think we should be crushing these cars. We need a return to a zero-tolerance attitude to these drivers.”
MORE: What does Suffolk get out of the latest budget announcement?
Reports have been made to Suffolk police regarding the nuisance noise and dangerous driving and Pinewood Parish Council has published a letter condemning those making their streets less safe at night.
Inspector Kirsty Graefe said: “Police are aware of the problem of anti-social driving in the Copdock and Pinewood areas, and of people gathering in car parks on the Interchange Retail Park on London Road, Ipswich, especially in the evenings.
“Officers from the Safer Neighbourhood Team and the Roads and Armed Policing Team are working together in a joint operation to proactively target those responsible.
“Increased patrols are taking place and we are working with businesses in the retail park to find long-term solutions.”
Residents previously said they were being kept awake at night by revving engines, with one mother fearing the anti-social behaviour could lead to someone getting hurt.
Mr Hudson wrote to Suffolk crime commissioner Tim Passmore in the summer of 2019, saying those responsible were “depriving those living in the area of the human right to a good night’s sleep”.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here