RESIDENTS on the Westlands estate have expressed concern over groups of cars racing up and down the Kidderminster Road on Sunday evenings.

One concerned resident has reported the racers, who appear to be in their 20s, to police on four separate occasions with more than 15 cars gathering in the entrance to Big Bear Plastics at one end of the dual carriageway at around 9.40pm on Sunday, December 6 and racing two or three abreast up and down the dual carriageway to the large island at the other end of the estate.

She said: “My husband goes to bed at nine o’clock, and the noise is horrific even inside the house. You can’t hear the telly. You’ve got exhausts backfiring, they’re all suped up, they beep their horns, and you can hear them talking and shouting and laughing. It’s the worry as well because we think they’re going to crash. Where I see them coming down from Big Bear they haven’t picked up much speed, but they go up to the island and come back and they’re whizzing past. It’s a matter of time. It worries me.

It can’t just be us they’re affecting, they must be affecting the whole of the rest of the housing estate. We’ve got young children, we’ve got older people who are really poorly, people who’ve got to get up for work the next day. It’s a shame that that’s what they want to do and there’s no facilities. I know there couldn’t be because it’s too dangerous.

They’re putting other people’s lives in danger by doing it. They’re racing, sometimes two at a time, sometimes four. The actual speed limit is 40mph, and it’s attracting more people. There were a lot more last Sunday than I’ve ever seen.

“I’m not a spiteful person, I don’t want them to get into trouble. My biggest fear is that we’re going to hear a massive crash out there. They’re young boys driving recklessly and they’re putting themselves in danger, and we‘re going to have to deal with it if something sad happens.”

The car park and entrance to Big Bear Plastics is locked securely at night, and the company is unaware of any activity taking place, but according to Westlands residents the racers are gathering in the entrance, and blocking off some of the traffic island there.

The same resident added: “I have contacted police to say they are racing, and the dispatchers have heard the noise, but nothing it seems is being done.”

Police have confirmed that they have received reports of gathering and driving at speed between traffic Islands on the Kidderminster Road with Operation Overture, a an operation put in place to stamp out problems with anti social drivers, coming to the area in October.

Sergeant Sarah Kent from the Droitwich Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Groups of car owners tend to meet in different locations and form convoys around the area. Most are generally law-abiding and just like to show off their vehicles. Unfortunately, others drive in an anti-social way which puts both themselves and other road users at risk. There are usually also complaints regarding the volume of noise from the exhausts, sometimes indicating that vehicles have been modified.

“We would ask that members of the public report these incidents immediately if they see one and feel the driving is anti-social or dangerous.”

If anyone is concerned about noise from drivers in Droitwich, or people driving dangerously or recklessly, they should contact West Mercia Police on the non-emergency number 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.