New security measures are set to be introduced at Burnham-On-Sea’s seafront car park in an effort to halt late night anti-social driving.
Residents have long complained about late night noise and safety concerns as vehicles are driven fast around the car park late at night next to the B&M supermarket.
It has emerged this week that new ‘speed-restricting barriers’ and extra Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is to be installed to try and tackle the problem.
Sergeant Ash Catlow from Avon and Somerset Police told town councillors at this week’s meeting: “A lot of work has been done between ourselves and Sedgemoor District Council to try and avoid the problems.”
“It is an issue and has been for a while now. Funding has been agreed to provide some extra security in the car park to prevent drivers accessing it at night. I can’t give you a date for when it will be installed but it is in motion. It’s a really positive step and something we have been working on for some time with Sedgemoor.”
He added: “We will also be installing Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) in the car park to monitor who is going in and out at any time of day. It will provide us with information on who we should be looking out for. It’s a really good monitoring tool and is a really positive step – it will be going in fairly soon.”
Talking to Burnham-On-Sea.com, Claire Faun from Sedgemoor District Council, confirmed: “We are working with the Police on this. We are looking at options to place new speed-restricting barriers within the car park itself in order to reduce the anti-social behaviour activity within the car park. These would be low, ‘fence-like’ structures in the parking areas.”
The action comes after Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here that residents have urged the Police and council to do more to halt the problems of anti-social driving in the car park.
Police have also stepped up patrols in the car park and along the Esplanade in recent weeks and also seized a vehicle in the car park. Police said this week they have received fewer complants – just five – last month as a result.
