Residents have hit out at dangerous 'boy racers' who continue to tear down a residential street in hot-hatches and use a park and ride site as a place to perform donuts. Homeowners near Toton Lane Park and Ride say the site is dominated by "noisy" vehicles late at night on the weekends, and they fear nothing more will be done "until someone is killed".
According to eyewitnesses up to 30 cars or more use the site as a meeting place. Some of those who attend the car meets, which typically take place between 11pm and 1am on weekends, have been seen performing donuts and other manoeuvres which have visibly left circular tyre marks over the tarmac.
"They are using the car park as a meeting place," says Gary Sherwood, who lives in Stapleford Lane. "They are doing donuts and it is just noisy. You get the odd one tearing up and down here afterwards.
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"We've got the 30mph signs. It became 30mph around three years ago. Up here kids are just like chickens trying to cross the road."
And Pete Whyard, who lives in the same street, added: "They are always tailgating each other. The 30mph sign probably only registers up to 50mph but I have seen them travelling at speeds where it doesn't even register.
"They are in these little hot-hatches. They have the barriers at Chilwell Retail Park but there is nothing up here. It's just not safe."
Nottingham City Council documents state Nottinghamshire Police and NET are working to stop the "dangerous" activities. In correspondence sent to the council another unnamed resident says: "They are also using Stapleford Lane and Toton Lane for drag racing.
"I cannot emphasize this enough there will be a serious accident or worse, unfortunately probably some innocent member of the public using the area."
Nottinghamshire Police officers have before been drafted in amid growing concerns over anti-social behaviour at the park and ride but residents say not enough is being done. The Nottingham City Council committee on light transport has now been contacted by a member of the public with regard to the use of the NET park and ride site "by young people driving cars around dangerously, at speed, causing a disturbance."
Injunction order signs have been placed on lampposts, but residents say these small notices would easily be missed or ignored by motorists. The signs state: "You are entering an area where persons are forbidden from car cruising. Breach of this injunction means you could be sent to prison."
The issue is set to be discussed at a city council meeting later in July. Responding to the issues NET says: "Nottingham Trams have liaised with the police, reviewed CCTV available, and explored the options for a dispersal order.
"Following the complaints, the police have carried out regular patrols in the area and engaged with some of the local car enthusiasts.
"The police have not had cause to issue any warnings or penalty fines during these patrols and the CCTV available to Nottingham Trams does not show the extent of the allegations and reports made by the member of the public. As the complaints received by the tram operator have been post-incident, it has not been possible to capture live CCTV pictures of incidents occurring.
"In the absence of any clear evidence of wrong doing, it has not been possible to progress a dispersal order for the area. Following a meeting with the complainant at the NET Depot on May 30, which was also attended by the police, it was agreed that further monitoring of the area would take place.
"Some minor adjustments have been made to the CCTV cameras at the site, to better capture the affected areas, and regular checks have been carried out by the control room to try and detect any unusual activity. It has been requested that any further reports are made in the first instance to the police, who will then contact NET to review CCTV."
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