Major road branded a ‘racetrack’ because of dangerous car cruises …

A county road used as a “racetrack” by drivers will be the target of an 18-month speed enforcement operation. Repeated complaints have been raised by residents of Blaby and Whetstone ^[1] over reckless driving at the A426, Leicester Road, also known as the Blaby bypass.

It has become a meeting point for people who race up and down the road, revving their engines and disturbing local residents. Earlier this year a number of vehicles were seized ^[2] by police.

Now, the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership (RSP) has announced the bypass will be the focus of enforcement action. It posted on Facebook: “The A426 Blaby bypass is now a community concern site and will benefit from regular speed camera van visits ^[3]. Speed enforcement will be conducted for the next 18 months before being reviewed.”

Community concern sites are added when “there is both a speeding problem and recent injury collision history at the site,” the RSP website states. Local councillor Paul Hartshorn has long campaigned against the “anti-social and dangerous behaviour regularly seen on the Blaby Bypass”. He said he is delighted the site has been added to the community concern list.

“We need positive action there to create a deterrent, specifically against the pre-arranged ‘cruise’ events where many cars turn up to run races on this public road,” he added. “It does not need saying that this type of behaviour is extremely dangerous for other road users, but also dangerous for those taking part who think they are beyond the law.

“I know when an event is taking place as I receive many text messages, all within a few minutes, which quickly alerts me and enables me to call the police ^[5], who have always handled these dangerous situations very promptly. What we urgently need is to look at prevention rather than post-event reaction and so I am delighted to get news that the bypass is now going to be subject to more speed-camera van visits which should act as a deterrent.

Coun Paul Hartshorn responding to complaints about driving at the Blaby Bypass, Wednesday, July 5 2023 (Image: Paul Hartshorn)

“We must urgently find a more permanent solution, and I hope the camera van is just the start of stopping this dangerous, irresponsible behaviour from kicking off in the first place.” Coun Hartshorn said he was in the area just last night as another of these meets kicked off and residents started “pinging his phone” to alert him to the “dangerous racing” taking place.

Motorcycle Routes (March to October enforcement)

A6003 Oakham to Caldecott
B6047 south route, (A47 to A6)
B6047 north route (Melton to A47)
A444 route, (Fenny Drayton to M42)
A6006 route (Six Hills to Asfordby by-pass)
A607 route (Rearsby by-pass to Croxton Kerrial)
B676 Six Hills, Broughton and Old Dalby

References

^{^} Blaby and Whetstone (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
^{^} a number of vehicles were seized (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
^{^} regular speed camera van visits (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
^{^} Blackbird Road in Leicester to be closed for northbound traffic for two days (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
^{^} the police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)

Major road branded a ‘racetrack’ because of dangerous car cruises …

Community concern sites in Leicester and Leicestershire

References