CCTV cameras aim to stop Market Drayton boy racers

Police said they were working with Shropshire Council to set up CCTV in the Towers Lawn car park.

Constable Mick Sturland, of the town's safer neighbourhood team, said the CCTV would hopefully help to deter and capture some examples of poor and anti-social driving.

Last week the town's first ever Drayton Drivers event was attended by more than 60 people. It was organised as another step to tackle the boy racer issue in Market Drayton.

The issue has been causing a problem in the town for years, with residents complaining about engine noise late at night.

Recently Elaine Pearse said she was too scared to take her dogs for a walk at night because of the drivers who she says used the town like a racing circuit.

Ms Pearse, 51, of Queen Street, said that the number of cars involved seems to have increased.

Constable Sturland said: "I am aware that some residents who live in the town experience anti social driving from a minority who use the town's roads as a race track.

"This issue is not an new one but it is one we have actively been trying to address with ever dwindling resources.

"As for speeding and poor driving through the town, sometimes perception plays a part but on others, just plain poor driving, bordering on dangerous driving, is demonstrated.

"I would love to say we can stand officers on most street corners and wait for these vehicles to appear but that isn't practical nor possible.

"So, what we can do, is to target known vehicles that have been witnessed driving poorly or who have been prosecuted by police.

"We have been doing that for some weeks and have a database of vehicles that we know are the root of the problem.

"With this database we target these vehicles with help from our roads policing team.

"This action together with some longer term thinking around the use of the town car parks at night, will hopefully bare fruit.

"We always rely on the public for help and I would encourage anyone who has witnessed examples of bad driving in the town, to let us know preferably with a registration number."

Last year police said they would use new powers to crack down on speeding motorists and boy racers following a rise of complaints in Market Drayton.

Police also issued an appeal calling for people to get in touch about issues of boy racers.

The problems saw residents near the Towers Lawn and Queens Street car parks complain about engine noises late at night.

Anyone with information about anti-social driving should call police on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org