Spectators line A34 as boy racers turn road into ‘organised race track’
One of North Staffordshire’s busiest roads is being turned into an ‘organised race track’ – with spectators lining the dual-carriageway. Staffordshire Police[1] received a number of calls from concerned motorists about cars racing along the A34 between the Trentham[2] Estate roundabout and the Trentham Monkey Forest roundabout last weekend.
It followed earlier reports about ‘car meets’ and ‘illegal racing’ on nearby Lightwood Road and Govan Road.
One concerned A34 motorist called the police at 9.30pm on Sunday, September 3.
They said: “We were travelling on the A34 near Trentham Gardens when we were passed by several cars travelling at high speed. On the opposite side of the carriageway were numerous parked cars and spectators. There was obviously a race taking place as the cars then doubled back at Trentham roundabout to race towards the monkey forest roundabout.
READ: Mum slams Stoke-on-Trent school after sweltering son ‘told to wear jumper’[3]
“We called the police and were told that they had already received several phone calls about it and that the police were on their way. This shouldn’t be happening on our public dual-carriageways or any other public road for that matter.”
Residents living on the A34 have managed to reduce the speed limit – near Hanford roundabout – from 40mph to 30mph. But the problem appears worse in the 60mph zone beyond Trentham Estate.
Resident Peter Johnson, aged 70, said: “The other side of the road is a racetrack. We can see and hear them speeding. It is an accident waiting to happen. The speed they are going, they are going to kill somebody.”
The boy racers had left Lightwood Road and Govan Road when police arrived at around 7pm last Sunday.
Sergeant John Shevlin, of Stoke South local policing team, said: “The minority who feel that they can use roads as race tracks or car parks as performance areas will be dealt with accordingly. Dangerous driving and anti-social meets can cause a great deal of disruption to local communities and can put motorists at risk of serious injury.”
Staffordshire’s police, fire and crime commissioner Ben Adams is the co-chairman of Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership.
He said: “Keeping our roads safe for everyone is a key priority in my police and crime plan and this kind of dangerous, reckless driving harms our communities. We can all play a part in helping to keep our roads safe, and I would encourage anyone concerned about illegal racing, car meets or anti-social driving to report their concerns.”
Anyone with any information about the car meets should call the police on 101.
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References
- ^ Staffordshire Police (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Trentham (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Mum slams Stoke-on-Trent school after sweltering son ‘told to wear jumper’ (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ or click here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)