We’re terrified to leave our homes as boy racers use our roads as F1 track – my car was written off after it was hit
TERRIFIED residents living on a short-cut road being used “like a Formula 1 race track” fear someone will be killed as they demand action to stop speeding drivers.
Parked cars have been smashed into by “boy racers“, leaving them written off while locals are afraid to leave their homes for fear of being hit.
The yobs blatantly ignore the 20mph speed limit signs in the residential area of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
Retired chef Annette Horsnell has signed a petition with other concerned neighbours, which they have presented to the local council.
She said: “It’s like a Formula 1 race track. They come up here like Hell for leather with no regard to people or property. It is just cretinous.
“Boy racers are going at over 50mph, sometimes hitting 70mph.”
Annette added that the council do “nothing” even after the destruction of property and that she worries it will take a death for them to act.
The council apparently put in speed bumps to stop the dangerous driving, but these were taken out when parents at the local nursery complained that they prevented them from parking safely.
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She adds that HGVs use the road too, despite a weight limit being in place, while locals park on the road, having filled their garages with odds and ends.
Annette said: “It used to be so lovely here but now it is a death trap.”
Retired Upholsterer Barry Rowley, 81, also signed the petition and told The Sun Online: “Sometimes I’m scared coming out of my home for fear of being killed by a dangerous, speeding driver.
“I’ve nearly been knocked down in the past and don’t feel safe stepping out of my own front gate.
The widower has lived in his bungalow for 54 years and said his late wife had two cars damaged by reckless drivers smashing into them.
He described one of the incidents, saying: “two young lads were speeding and didn’t negotiate the road, crashing into my wife’s car and several others parked up.
“The driver ran off but I think was later caught and apprehended.”
William Fosterer, 73, who also lives on the street, says that drivers use the road as a “rat run”.
Mr Fosterer, who uses a mobility scooter, said: “I don’t feel safe.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s housing, development and growth committee has thrown it’s weight behind the residents.
It has called on the local authority to assess the area for speed bumps and other traffic calming measures and also encouraged Staffordshire Police to crack down on speeding.
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Director of housing, development and growth Phil Cresswell said: “We will take this issue seriously, but there will be comments the other way. If we come up with a set of proposals, there will be comments for and against.”
Committee member Desiree Elliot said: “If people feel strongly enough about an issue that they will put their names on a petition, then we should deal with that as a priority.”
