‘We live on race track A-road where huge car meets resemble Fast & Furious’

A stretch of A-road near Wolverhampton[1] is being used as a race track in scenes similiar to the Fast & Furious movies, concerned residents say. Large crowds descend on the A449 Stafford Road[2] in Coven Heath, Staffordshire[3], at weekends where motorists allegedly race between the junction with the M54 and the island for Brewood, with spectators gathered at the side of the road.

Residents claim gatherings can be as large as "50 cars" where motorists hit speeds of "100 miles-per-hour". Staffordshire Police has resorted to installing signs along a 1.2-mile stretch of the A449 - between the M54 island, known as Fordhouses Roundabout, and the Coven Heath Island with Brewood Road - warning drivers that a Section 59 notice is in place. Cars can be seized under the police powers.

The gatherings also attract spectators who park up along the A449 and other nearby roads, obstructing residents from exiting their driveways, it is claimed. A source told BlackCountryLive some car meets have been organised over Facebook.

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "It's been a major issue for the past three years, I can't recall the amount of times I've called 999. Now that it is getting darker, they can come as early as 9pm."

The woman said residents also suffer with excessive noise. "The police do come as soon as we ring them but they (the drivers) park up and wait for the police to go. They (the police) will send two to three cars when there is 30 to 50 cars, hurtling down the road at 100mph."

One woman said street racing was a "major problem" but declined to comment any further. Meanwhile, it's understood one resident was forced to turn their phone on silent due to the amount of cars that were driving past and alerting their door camera. However, as a result, they ended up missing a call from the hospital informing them that their mum had tragically died.

Elsewhere, a 75-year-old man, who wished to remain anonymous, said aftermarket exhausts which go "bang, bang, bang" scares his dog. The pensioner said motorists "race" between the two Coven Roundabout islands near Brewood, which are located close together, and down to the Fordhouses Roundabout.

"There is skidding, the wheels are going so fast, they go down to the bottom of the road by the motorway and back again," he said. "All these roads at the side get full of parked cars, people that come to see the race. They seem to have a contact with each other.

"The racers seem to attract all this crowd and you can't get out of your house. One day they will have a crash.

"You can't go out and face the crowd because it is very scary. Most of the people that come here, they are mainly young, you can't just tell them to move their car or F off." The man also said that a farmer's field nearby had seen cars go through the hedge and almost strike residential properties.

Staffordshire Police said it has received reports[6] from residents of motorists gathering in groups late at night, driving at excess speeds, sounding horns, playing loud music and revving engines. A force spokesperson said Section 59 signs will also be installed at the start of the M54, heading along the A460 Cannock[7] Road towards Shareshill.

PC Wayne Green, from the South Staffordshire LPT, said: "The Section 59 warning notices count as a first warning to motorists who drive in an anti-social manner. We are currently in the process of working on securing a High Court injunction, which if granted will forbid anyone from taking part in street cruising in the area, or from promoting it.

"Officers are gathering evidence by engaging with local residents whose lives are blighted by this illegal activity. The signs will serve as a deterrent and offer much-needed reassurance to the local community while we do this. Please be in no doubt; any motorist caught driving in an anti-social manner, or without due care and attention, will have their vehicle seized under Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002."

References

  1. ^ Wolverhampton (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  2. ^ A449 Stafford Road (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  3. ^ Staffordshire (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  4. ^ Yob drivers 'blighting lives' of residents with 'loud noise and group gatherings' (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  5. ^ Win a holiday from Birmingham Airport to Split, Croatia with Jet2holidays! (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  6. ^ received reports (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
  7. ^ Cannock (www.birminghammail.co.uk)

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