Every Shrewsbury neighbourhood listed with crimes that police are urged to tackle by councillors - see how your area is recorded

Speeding vehicles, anti-social behaviour (ASB) and drug dealing are the main issues that the police need to deal with in Shrewsbury, according to town councillors.

The policing priorities are collated from councillors each quarter, then forwarded to the inspector. West Mercia Police then reports back with updates on the priorities raised.

During a Communities and Environment Committee meeting, members of Shrewsbury Town Council discussed priorities, with each councillor listing their three main issues.

Speeding cars, motorbikes and e-bikes proved to be a dominant theme, including vehicles that have been modified. It comes after a dangerous motorbike rider posted vidoes online of him reaching nearly 100mph in the town, pretending it to be Mexico.

West Mercia Police spotted the footage and was able to track down Benjamin Males as the rider. The 22-year-old, of Holgate Drive, Shrewsbury, admitted all charges at Telford Magistrates Court and was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was also ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, given a rehabilitation order and fined £199.

“We should certainly encourage councillors and residents to report each individual item, otherwise it doesn’t get onto the police system,” said Councillor Bernie Bentick, who asked town clerk Helen Ball to write to the inspector, highlighting the council’s councils.

Below are each councillor’s priorities.

Abbey (Councillor Jamie Daniels)

Speeding – Belvidere Avenue between 8am and 9am, and from 3pm with drivers using it as a shortcut to Monkmoor.
Anti-social driving – increase in incidents near and around The Abbey and Abbey Station.
Anti-social driving – Preston Street to the Column roundabout. Residents living in Highfields cannot get out due to the build-up of traffic.

Bagley (Councillor Ben Jephcott)

Speeding – speeding vehicles with modified louder exhausts (bikes but sometimes cars) on Ellesmere Road and all around town, often at “dangerously high speed” particularly on Fridays and Saturdays between 10am and 1am.
ASB – youths using dirtbikes causing ASB and bullying of younger children from Bagley and other wards using the Harlescott pump track, including attempts to steal bikes.
Drug dealing – hard drug dealing in Greenfields park and scooter-borne couriers using the track by Greenfields Gardens.

Battlefield (Councillor Harry Hancock-Davies)

Speeding – on Battlefield Road at the junction of Matfield Close (just before Battlefield Island) with vehicles regularly travelling over 30mph. Also on Whitchurch Road with a lack of 30mph speed limit signs.

Belle Vue (Councillor Kate Halliday)

Parking issues – Salters Lane – parking on double yellow lines not only at school pick-up and drop-off but throughout the day. Parking fully on pavements so pedestrians cannot pass. The Hawthorns – parking in front of garages, obstructing other cars. Oakley Street – parking on pavements and around corners.

Bicton Heath (Councillor Jon Tandy)

Speeding – on Welshpool Road and Gains Park Way. Also abandoned vehicles in the Bowbrook area.

Castlefields (Councillor Alan Mosley)

No submission received

Column & Sutton (Councillor Rosemary Dartnall)

Drug dealing – open drug dealing and sometimes with associated ASB on Springfield Estate, focussed on Mereside and the footbridge area between Pool Rise and Prescott Close and the corner of Sutton Lane and Primrose Drive.
Speeding – motorbikes speeding on Mansel Williams Way with speeds over 40mph. Also speeding traffic on London Way, Wenlock Road, Sutton Road, Sutton Way and Sutton Lane.

Copthorne (Councillor Rob Wilson)

Speeding – The Mount, Mytton Oak Road, Copthorne Road, Shelton Road, Oakfield Road, and Radbrook Road.
Youths drinking – occurring during warm days/late afternoon on the riverbank.
Youth ASB – verbal abuse (sexualised and quite disgusting) from young boys on the BMX track. Residents are quite intimidated by them.

Harlescott (Councillor Rhys Gratton)

No submission received

Meole (Councillor Bernie Bentick)

ASB – continuing harassment of vulnerable people on Meole Estate – threatening behaviour, keying of cars, abandoned dog excrement.
Visbility – i.e. foot patrols
Traffic offences – speeding, illegal entry by vehicles to south end of Moneybrook Way. Also cyclists and some vehicles travelling the wrong way up the one-way section of Vicarage Road, between the mini-roundabout and Upper Road. Some vehicles also use the ‘access only’ section of Mill Road to avoid the queue at the Upper Road/Roman Road exit.

Monkmoor (Councillor Adam Fejfer)

ASB – Porchfield area. Knocking on residents’ doors and running. Upton Lane Recreation Ground – littering, noise, setting up small fires. A significant number of electric bike and scooters travelling at high speeds on shared paths and public roads.
Speeding – Conway Drive, particularly from Monkmoor Road to Galton Drive. And the bottom of Crowmere Road.

Porthill (Councillor Julian Dean)

No submission received

Quarry & Coton Hill (Councillor Alex Wagner)

Offensively loud vehicles – motorbikes and cars speeding around Smithfield Road, Castle Street, St Mary’s Street, Dogpole, and Wyle Cop. Often the vehicles are illegally maintained, untaxed or uninsured.
Patrols – continue the work being done by the Safe Neighbourhood Team to target ASB on Pride Hill.
Illegal driving – vehicles going the wrong way down the one-way street on Rousehill.

Radbrook (Councillor Emma Micklewright)

Speeding – Bank Farm Road and Squinter Pip Way. The light-up signs are having less of an effect than when they were first installed.
Traffic concerns – inconsiderate drivers and taxis continue to use Crowmeole Lane, despite the permanent filter allowing only buses, cyclists and pedestrians.
Littering – possibly with an intent to harm dogs. Residents have reported an increase in litter on Radbrook Quarry and Fields, including piles of food known to harm dogs.