Councillors have vowed to take action after Caerphilly residents raised concerns over the antisocial presence of “boy racers” in a supermarket car park.
Around 60 youngsters are said to meet in the car park of Asda on Pontygwindy Road, Caerphilly town, on evenings and weekends, playing loud music and making the lives of nearby residents a misery.
Plaid Cymru’s Morgan Jones ward councillor, Phil Bevan, said nearby residents’ lives were being made a misery.
Cllr Bevan added: “Residents tell me that they have been plagued by boy racers for years but it has escalated recently with as many as 60 cars in the car park. The noise can go on for hours and local people have told me that their windows shake with the pounding sound from stereos.
“I have met the police and they confirmed that Asda is aware of the difficult situation and are concerned about the use of the car park by boy racers.”
Fellow Morgan Jones ward councillor Mike Prew, and Plaid Cymru ward candidate Roger Bidgood, said that action was needed quickly to deal with the issue.
They said: “We hope Asda can introduce measures quickly to stop these trouble-makers gaining access, although we accept there may be issues with deliveries after business ends and the fact that many people drive into use the cash machines.
“No one should have to put up with their lives being blighted by young drivers who don’t appear to show any understanding of the impact of their behaviour on other people.”
Labour candidates for the Morgan Jones Ward, Cllr James Pritchard, Cllr Shayne Cook and Shelly Hodder, said: “We’ve met with residents and raised these issues with police. We believe Asda could operate their CCTV more effectively and also look to installing an operational barrier to curb the issue. We will continue to proactively look for ways to work with residents to tackle this problem”.
Gwent Police said it took the claims “very seriously”.
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector, Andy O’Keefe, said: “We take the antisocial use of vehicles very seriously and this is a ‘Your Voice’ priority for the area of Pontygwindy Road, as set by the local community. I welcome the support of the local councillors in raising such concerns and I am sure they will continue to lend their support in working with us to address these issues.
“I can confirm that the local officer has been liaising with Asda and discussions are on-going about measures that can be taken to deter the use of their car park for this kind of activity. In the past with similar reports in our area, collaboration took place between Gwent Police, local councillors and the retail trade. This resulted in a barrier being erected to prevent the car park being a gathering area after business hours.
“In November last year, a road safety event was organised to educate drivers about vehicle related antisocial behaviour, carless and dangerous driving. This was made possible through partnership working with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, local councillors from the Machen ward, and the Machen Community Speed Watch.
“We will continue to work with private businesses and the community to address this kind of behaviour through education and enforcement.”
Under existing law – after issuing the relevant Section 59 warning notice,police can seize the vehicles where further offences are committed.
Also where the drivers are legal and insured police should notify their insurers immediately,this would eventually lead to an increase in their premiums or possibly make it more difficult to obtain insurance in the future.
Initially the problem is predominantly an issue for ASDA as it is ultimately private property and therefore their responsibility.
A few years ago we had a similar problem in Blackwood ASDA with boy racers – they installed ANPR ( Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras ) any vehicles in the car park area in excess of 2 hours received fines in the post.
This would of course only deal with those who park up for hours playing loud music and causing annoyance.
Antisocial driving offences would be an issue for Police to deal with.
An automatic barrier would resolve most issues – with regards to ASDA deliveries their lorry drivers could have a fob to open an automatic barrier.
Unfortunately those causing the problems would only move on to new pastures and cause the same issues at a new location.
What we need is one strategy to deal with this issue effectively which will deter this behaviour everywhere.
Why should Asda have to fork out cash to solve this problem? This is a law and order issue.
Because its private property (ie ASDA’s property ),and as such its up to them to control access ( that’s the law – not my opinion ).
I agree that the police and council must also assist ASDA in combatting this problem and yes unfortunately there is a financial cost,which ASDA in Blackwood accepted.
That maybe the law, I won’t dispute it. Still a law and order issue as the cars are tresspassing.
I agree why should asda solve this problem, these drivers have to get to asda via roads, the police should be out there stopping the drivers and booking them up for breaking the law. In my opinion the responsibility is 10% asda but 90% the polices.
This proves once again we do not have enough police on our streets, to combat such problems. In my day you would have police on the streets walking around to stop these problems. And as for this thing called your voice what a waste of time, what happened to pact meeting they were successful weren’t they!!! To me you can have all the meetings in the world to discuss this, what we really need is police on the street. Work with Asda by all means but they should not do all of the work, which is what insp Keefe is suggesting. What do we pay our taxes for? Start issuing fines instead of warnings, start arresting people instead of talking to them. I would also suggest getting these pcso type people up there instead of out picking litter like you reported in another story you published. I have seen these drivers with all manner of modifications on there cars. Why aren’t the police stopping these cars on the road, I know the beat pc is a dying breed but the traffic police are nearly extinct. Insp Keefe should get these up there and hit them hard with fines,
We need police with teeth not with fluffy blankets. It always seems to be someone else problem these days and not the police, they take responsibility for nothing. Maybe we should privatise them at least they would be out to stop this problem then, if thy knew they wouldn’t get paid at the end of the day. Let’s give this problem back to the police, instead of other organastions trying to do their job for them. If all else fails maybe the council litter pickers can help out seeing as the pcso helped them out
Yes a more visible police presence is definitely what is needed and is the only real answer to all this antisocial behaviour.
Firstly,if we had bobbies on the beat it would be a deterrent and they would know their local patch and who the persistent offenders are.
Also when we had local bobbies they got lots of information when chatting to the locals whilst on their beat – all that has been lost in tnis day and age.
People these days know that they are unlikely to get caught by police routinely patrolling the community.
As for the lack of Traffic police – when I was younger I recall seeing more Traffic police and they dealt with drivers who flouted the law, but as you say hardly ever see Traffic cops these days.
I am with you all the way, when I was a teenager, on my motorbike, I was stopped by the police for something or other several times a year. Knowing the police were vigilant modified my behaviour with the result I am still riding and enjoying motorcycling nearly forty years later. The alternative may well have been an early grave.
All we need to do is persuade the Police and Crime Commissioner that this is the sort of policing people want to return to. That may not be easy.
We need to encourage people to report all incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour – they may not always receive a police response but it will leave an important evidential audit trail of all the incidents that occur within our communities.
This trail should ultimately force the police into taking action – because the current trend is” if it isn’t reported- it isn’t happening ”
Also people should contact the Crime Commissioner and make their views known – we have seen a number of events where enough public pressure has had an effect.
A lot of crime does go unreported, I know this from incidents in my neighbourhood. It does not surprise me as I have used the 101 phone number and have found it a very poor system. Others I talk to have found the same.
Yes, I’ve heard that the 101 system is very poor,with some callers having a long wait to report issues.
I can then understand why people are reluctant to ‘phone in and report issues.
It seems the whole law & order system needs a complete overhaul.
From putting more officers on the beat to the systems and technology that support them.
I think that one of the modern day issues is that many organisations not only the police that are reluctant to admit when things don’t work as efficiently as they should- they tend to adopt an attitude that “we’ve got to make it work”when they should be sitting around the table and working out how to resolve the issues.
The 101 system is a total waste of time, I was put in a queue once for 10 mins. As for th crime commissioner what a waste of money that role is, this post should be noted n political and have nothing with ex police officer who only help each other out, in their old boys network. I have not reported crimes now because either thy don’t want to know or they send the cso or even worst the toy wardens. I agree that now a days people hate to admit if something doesn’t work thy would rather keep on at it until the move to another role. It’s then up to their sucessor to clean up the mess
I also want to point out that 101 calls are not free and are charged at a local rate as I found out lately it’s even more if you ring from a mobile
Correct, the 101 system is shambolic. If you need police assistance phone 999. I will probably get criticised for writing this but don’t care a jot. Either the police produce a non emergency system that works or they can expect the public that pays for them to use the emergency number.
Richard I don’t know if you seen my post below but maybe you can ask the question why wardens are being sent to police calls its scandalis
Yes I will ask this at the next Town Council meeting. Personally I don’t agree with wardens or CSO officers. This is not to say that individually they are often very capable people. My local man, John McDonnell, is an extremely conscientious officer but in my opinion is hampered by the fact that he does not possess the authority of a fully fledged police officer.
Firstly, I didn’t realise that the Police 101 number isn’t free ! and I’m sure a lot of residents don’t realise this.
I agree PCSO’s and council wardens are not suitable for dealing with most issues – we need sufficient numbers of trained Police Constables and we need them visibly patrolling.
The local authority need to ensure they have proper policies in place to ensure that wardens cannot be asked to undertake duties which require a Police response.
Not to have such policies in place not only puts these staff at risk but also makes the council possibly liable should an incident go wrong.
I have looked at the councils own website which states that these council wardens do not replace police, but merely act as”eyes and ears ” of the community – – from what is mentioned in the above posts this does not seem what is happening.
If these council wardens support the police ,but the police no longer routinely patrol then there is no one for these staff to support.
Surely these council wardens should be employed on solely council duties
( such as enforcing littering and dog fouling and fly tipping – and not dealing with things that the police should be dealing with ?)
We pay a precept for the police to police,so why are we using these wardens as well ?
I too was under the impression that wardens should patrol and assist the police with their duties. According to comments on this paper they are reportedly being used for other things that they are neither qualified nor have the authority to do. I don’t know whether this is true or not but will ask the Police Commissioner who has been asked to attend a Town Council meeting. It was I who requested he be invited as clarification of this and other matters is needed.
I am not expert in police matters and, like us all, depend on the senior police officers who have a wealth of knowledge to organise policing as best they are able within the budgets awarded to them. That said I do share the view of many residents who believe that prevention is better than response and approve of regular patrols.
It will be interesting to know what information the Crime Commissioner can give on this matter.