Call for action after anti-social drivers move to new location to dodge traffic calming measures

A city councillor has called for action to be taken after anti-social drivers moved from one part of town to another following the success of traffic calming measures on a city road.

Loud and dangerous ‘boy racers’ have made residents lives a misery in the Ortons for a number of years, with a number of late night meets taking place.

After a number of accidents – and a series of complaints from residents and city councillors – traffic calming measures including speed humps were placed at Stapledon Road in Orton Southgate – a hotspot for the dangerous events.

But while the measures, which were installed earlier this year, have had some success – it has just moved the problem elsewhere in the neighbourhood.

Cllr Julie Stevenson, who represents the Orton Waterville ward, had campaigned for the Stapledon Road measures to be introduced – now she is calling for similar measures to be introduced elsewhere.

"This process involves more that just physical measures”

Cllr Stevenson said: “They (the anti-social drivers) have moved to Tresham Road which is closer to the residential part of Orton Southgate, so it is affecting a different/additional set of residents.

"I'm obviously very pleased the measures at Stapledon Road have proved effective, but now we know what to do – the council must repeat the measures at Tresham Road to bring peace to our area.

"We couldn't know how effective the measures would be until we installed them. Now that we know they work we can embark on a wider process of rollout.

"However, this process involves more that just physical measures. Action by the police is fundamental to ensuring an end to this activity on public roads, so myself and Cllr Hogg will continue to work with council officers and the police until such time as peace is permanently restored.”

"We were pleased to see the traffic calming measures have had the desired effect”

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: “We were pleased to see the traffic calming measures have had the desired effect at one location but (the anti-social drivers) soon found a new favoured spot with numerous vehicles causing issues.

“We spoke with several residents who were in the area and we are looking to speak to some nearby businesses and residents regarding this now moved issue to start the process with more calming measures and wider ASB powers too.”

When the speed bumps were first installed at Stapledon Road, they were ripped up by vandals – but were soon replaced.

The works to install the bumps cost, £50,000, with funding coming from the Department for Transport..

Earlier this year a woman was seriously injured at a drifting event when she was struck by a car in Stapledon Road.

And in 2016 a man was jailed for 18 months after a number of people were seriously injured when he lost control of his car at a drifting event in the road.

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted Peterborough City Council for comment.