Newbury - a very dangerous place to be driving on Sat night

[Laney760]

Had to drive to Newbury early this evening, lovely clear evening. On the A339 there was an accident involving up to SIX cars. Minutes later on on my journey I was nearly obliterated by a boy racer in a black Peugeot driving at very high speed, I was already on the roundabout, my right of way. In Monks Lane I indicated left early as the car behind was catching up on me mega fast and seriously exceeding the speed limit. As I turned left, and I know my indicators work but I checked afterwards anyway, he wouldn't stop hooting his horn as he flew past. Later on my journey I saw two boy racers in Monks Lane which leads into Essex Street driving at silly silly speeds where there were pedestrians and children about. On my way home on the A339 I saw more boy racers doing absolutely reckless stupid speeds and just as I was entering the A34 I was cut up by a black VW doing stupid speeds

I won't be going to Newbury again on a Saturday night ever! Glad I don't live there, I'd be moving! Where are the Police when they've clearly got a serious problem there?

[tt82]

I take it you have reported all this to the police?

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by tt82

I take it you have reported all this to the police?

They were attending the accident on my return journey. What are they going to say if I ring them up and say 'Your town is dangerous, it's full of boy racers', probably 'We know'. The couple who I visited in Essex Street said it was the norm for boys to race up and down that street so the Police must know about it? There's a lot on the net about the Newbury boy racers up till 2009 but nothing thereafter

[Laney760]

I'll ring them tomorrow, maybe they will have time to look at their camera footage?

[Mike 700]

Originally Posted by Laney760

Had to drive to Newbury early this evening, lovely clear evening. On the A339 there was an accident involving up to SIX cars. Minutes later on on my journey I was nearly obliterated by a boy racer in a black Peugeot driving at very high speed, I was already on the roundabout, my right of way. In Monks Lane I indicated left early as the car behind was catching up on me mega fast and seriously exceeding the speed limit. As I turned left, and I know my indicators work but I checked afterwards anyway, he wouldn't stop hooting his horn as he flew past. Later on my journey I saw two boy racers in Monks Lane which leads into Essex Street driving at silly silly speeds where there were pedestrians and children about. On my way home on the A339 I saw more boy racers doing absolutely reckless stupid speeds and just as I was entering the A34 I was cut up by a black VW doing stupid speeds

I won't be going to Newbury again on a Saturday night ever! Glad I don't live there, I'd be moving! Where are the Police when they've clearly got a serious problem there?

Hi Ellie,

Sorry to hear of your problems .

Newbury is the nearest large town to where I live, and I must admit that over the past 35 years or so that I have lived nearby, I have never had any problems like the ones you describe.

However, I have checked with a couple of bods from the South Newbury area tonight, and it appears that some of the local lads do use Monk's Lane as a racetrack, and it has been reported to the local bobbies, but nothing has happened yet that warrants their intervention-apparently.

The local Councillor, and Deputy Leader of the LibDem group lives on Monk's Lane, yet it still happens, so what hope is there in getting it stopped?

I guess it's going to take a serious accident to befall one of these boy racers before they'll stop.

Anyway, Newbury isn't all bad, nor is Monk's Lane - were you at the Newbury College , or perhaps Newbury Rugby Club by any chance ?

I am not a Newbury 'boy' but I live in West Berks and I would like to apologise to you on behalf of the 'other' people in the area about these idiot's behaviour

.

[Laney760]

I was just visiting people in Essex Road, never again! It really was bad and it wasn't just Monks Lane/Essex Road either!

[Marty Dolomite]

Originally Posted by Mike 700

Hi Ellie,

I guess it's going to take a serious accident to befall one of these boy racers before they'll stop.


.

Speaking from experiance as the person who clears up the carnage when the accidents happen I can no matter how serious or how many people die it will not stop the hard core of boy racers they will just race on another street, the police would have a 'crack down' on boy racers for a few weeks afterwards then normal service will resume.

[Rossi-fan]

Hopefully, the little bar stewards will come to a gruesome sticky end very very soon.

[Laney760]

The Police already know about this problem. Monks Lane and Essex Street are in the Wash Common area

From Thames Valley Police website, cut and pasted:



Newbury South West neighbourhood

Local priorities

The following priorities have been identified by the community and the police:

1.Anti-social behaviour incidents have been reported around Pound Street.

2.Speeding and paving. The area is a 30mph zone but vehicles seem to exceed this limit. Parts of the Wash Water Road have no paving; some properties lead straight onto the road.

These are being dealt with by your neighbourhood policing team in partnership with residents and other agencies. Progress will be reported in the Neighbourhood updates.


http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ac...-area-n199.htm

[Mike 700]

Not too much progress yet however?