Boy racers put lives in danger (From Stroud News and Journal)

Boy racers put lives in danger

BOY racers are putting children's lives at risk by using Stroud's Bisley Old Road as a racetrack, say worried parents.

Although the road is a 30mph zone, residents say cars roar along at speeds of up to 70 or 80mph.

They say safety measures are urgently needed - and fear the problem will worsen as the summer evenings draw out.

Rachel Witcombe, 47, has lived in Mount Pleasant, just off Bisley Old Road, for 23 years and has a 10-year-old daughter, Mary, who regularly crosses the busy street.

"She is very sensible on the roads but it doesn't matter how careful you are - not when the teenagers drive like they do," said Mrs Witcombe.

"Nobody wants speed bumps but if that's what it takes to make them slow down then it needs to be done.

"It gets really bad on Friday and Saturday nights but the police don't do anything about it."

Grandmother-of-two Irene Baker, 62, has lived in the road for nearly 40 years.

"I lie in bed at night worried about these kids - one day they are going to kill themselves", she said.

"I won't let my grandchildren out because it is far too dangerous."

Iris Czaplewski, 79, also of Bisley Old Road, is scared to go outside her front door in the evenings.

"I feel like I am risking my life every time I walk along that road," said the grandmother-of-three.

"I am surprised there have been no accidents involving children - it is only a matter of time."

David Smith, 50, has lived in Mount Pleasant for six years and said there have been several accidents in the last year, including two hit and runs.

"The road is long and straight so the youngsters have a clear run", he said.

"These are genuine boy racers who tear around in highly modified mobile bullets - you can hear them flashing up through the gears."

While there are speed bumps in place along Bisley Road there are no such measures on the neighbouring Bisley Old Road.

Gloucestershire police spokesman Matt Ford said the force would support moves to make the road safer.

"We are committed to helping to reduce incidents of death and injury accidents," he said.

Gloucestershire County Council said it has considered traffic calming measures but funding is not available at present.

A spokesman said: "In the mean time we are looking into the possibility of installing vehicle activated speed signs."

* A 21-year-old Stroud man is in a serious condition at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after being involved in an accident in Bisley Old Road on Easter Sunday at 11.30pm.

He was a passenger in a Renault 5 which crashed into several parked cars, and had to be cut from the wreckage. The driver, a 22-year-old Gloucester man, escaped with minor injuries.