December 18, 2005
Rumblestrips proposed in bid to slow down Burnham seafront ‘boy racers’
Plans to install rumblestrips along Burnham-On-Sea seafront have been discussed this week in a fresh bid to tackle the problem of ‘boy racers’.
The proposal is one of several options being considered by the County Council after a special open meeting was held on Friday December 16th when residents and representatives from Burnham police, the town council and Burnham-On-Sea Holiday Village gathered together to discuss the issue.
District and town councillor Neville Jones (pictured below) told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I proposed that three sets of rumblestrips should be introduced. They would cost about £1,500 each and would cure the problem I am sure. They have worked along Weston seafront, so why not here too?”
The meeting was called amid mounting concern from residents at the southern end of the Esplanade, pictured above, regarding cars being driven at dangerously high speeds. They say the problem is particularly acute along the stretch between the Sailing Club and Somerfield supermarket.
At Friday’s meeting, Burnham Holiday Village said it would be willing to help fund any work to tackle the problem, after reporting that several of its holidaymakers had complained about the issue.
Furthermore, Cllr Louise Parkin said £2,500 of money has been put aside by the Burnham Town Improvements Committee – of which she is chairman – to tackle the problem. And there was the offer of more help too from Sedgemoor’s Crime Partnership Officer.
One seafront resident told the meeting that the problem had become so bad that he had been forced to move his bedroom to the back of his property as he had previously being regularly woken by the sound of high speed cars.
Inspector Dale Baker of Burnham-On-Sea Police told the meeting that while he fully appreciated the issue along the seafront, he was doing everything he could to monitor the issue using his resources.
Cllr Jones added: “It was a good meeting. Lots of ideas were discussed and we are now waiting for the County Council to come back with some positive plans. We will keep up the pressure on them and will be wanting some action.”
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Open meeting to be held to discuss seafront boy racers