Blackwood High Street will be closed to boy racers at night after Caerphilly County Borough Council granted an 18 month closure order.
From September 1 police will be able to close the road– which has long had a problem of boy racers cruising in their cars – between the hours of 7pm to 4am
If the order has proved successful in keeping the racers out of the town centre the council will look at making it permanent.
Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said: “Local residents and traders have been calling for something to be done to tackle this problem for a long time.
“We believe closing the road some evenings when appropriate is the best way to discourage this type of nuisance behaviour, which causes disruption and is dangerous for motorists and pedestrians alike.”
Cllr Rob Gough, cabinet member for transportation and planning, said: “We want to ensure that access is maintained for those that need it, so are working closely with the police to ensure the closure is implemented effectively.
“Hopefully this move will deter the cruisers and we will begin to see positive improvements for the whole community once the arrangement is in place.”
The order will prohibit the driving of vehicles along the High Street between the junctions with Bridge Street in the south and the access lane for Cwrt Glanhowy in the north, also for approximately 20 metres of Woodbine Road and approximately 40 metres of Pentwyn Road where they meet the High Street.
Blackwood Neighbourhood Inspector Kevin Childs said: “We do not want to unnecessarily inconvenience law abiding Blackwood vehicle users.
“We hope that the road closure will assist in deterring hundreds of car cruisers from across the UK causing antisocial behaviour and annoyance to the communities of Blackwood. We are also working closely with local businesses to prevent large groups from gathering in car parks.
“The road closure will be implemented from 7pm on Thursday nights initially and will only be closed on other nights, should the need arise. We will be working closely with the council to review its impact.”
There will be exceptions during the closure so that access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles, buses, taxis, eligible residents and people working late.
