Angry residents living besides a Burnham-On-Sea car park have called on town councillors to do more to crackdown on ‘boy racers’ and “horrendous” late night noise.
The residents – who have asked not to be named – lobbied town councillors over the worsening problems in the Pier Street and B&M car parks.
One resident told councillors at this week’s meeting: “We can’t sit in our back gardens any longer due to the horrendous revving from these vehicles and foul language at all hours of the day.”
Another said: “I hear stereo radios blasting from the cars through the evening and during the early hours – it’s so loud that the house vibrates with the noise and you can’t sleep through it.”
“It’s got so bad that they dictate when I sleep – you simply can’t just go into the bedroom at a normal time because of the noise from these drivers congregating there.”
Residents also claim the recently-installed CCTV cameras are often pointed in the wrong direction and don’t capture the vehicles.
Sedgemoor District Council recently installed the upgraded infra-red CCTV cameras in the car park to tackle anti-social driving, as we featured here.
Burnham Police’s Sgt Ryan Edwards said the problem is focussed on “around 8-10 cars who keep returning”, adding: “Many act in a reasonable manner, but some use local roads as a racing track.”
Sgt Edwards says he has met with Sedgemoor’s CCTV team to discuss the problems: “The cameras have definitely been a success in relating to anti social behaviour in the car park, but they still do congregate at one end.”
“The district council is aware and is looking at a new engagement strategy working with businesses, residents and the boy racers. They need residents to telephone the anti-social behaviour hotline on 0800 298 2009 to report incidents everytime they occurr.”
Our video shows ‘boy racers’ speeding around the seafront car parks at high speed in Burnham.
Several local residents have proposed that security gates are installed to lock up the car park at night and halt the problems.
Sgt Edwards, pictured, said at this week’s meeting: “We could cordon off the car park but that comes with costs and we’d need to consider the financial impact to Sedgemoor District Council.”
Cllr Louise Parkin said that residents must keep reporting the issues to the anti-social behaviour hotline, while Cllr Kate Lawson added that Sedgemoor’s environmental health department should also investigate the “excessive” noise levels from the vehicles.
Cllr Janet Keen said: “I see this as an urgent matter and will ask our district council where the cameras are pointed and focussed.”
And Mayor Bill Hancock reassured residents: “We understand the problems and will follow them up with Sedgemoor to discuss the poor lighting in the car park, CCTV concerns and noise levels.”
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We’re keen to identify those responsible and would encourage people to report any activity.”
Anti-social behaviour can be reported via https://www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/asb
Pictured: Top, the Burnham seafront car park where the problems are ongoing and recent video of the problems
