Speeding Update: Putting Your Concerns to the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner

I have written again to Staffordshire's Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner Ben Adams, pressing for urgent action on dangerous street racing that is blighting communities across Newcastle-under-Lyme.

You can read the full text of the letter below:

Dear Commissioner,

Re: Speeding Hot Spots in Newcastle-under-Lyme

I write to you again as numerous concerns have been raised with me this week regarding speeding in Newcastle-under-Lyme, specifically on London Road/ A34 throughout Cross Heath, Chesterton and Crackley. I have also been informed that these racers are congregating at Lymedale Cross Industrial Estate, racing at excessive speed, creating loud engine noise, revving and performing reckless manoeuvres in the Holditch area. This is mostly at weekends and going on late at night and sometimes into the early hours of the morning.

Local people tell me that, only recently, on the 26th April the fire brigade was called to deal with a car fire opposite on Leech Avenue. This car had been racing on Lymedale Cross Industrial Estate to the point where the engine caught fire and the occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled, leaving the residents in a state of shock. 

Residents are continuing to report these antisocial driving incidents to the police, but are yet to see any reduction in the amount of vehicle and meetings taking place.

While I have written to yourself and Staffordshire County Council on numerous occasions with local people’s concerns on this matter, I feel the need to write again as there appears to be a lack of joint up working between local police in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire County Council. Local people are telling me they are reporting dangerous driving, noise disturbances, and reckless behaviour on our roads to the police frequently; however there is a lack of sustained road safety measures being put into place. I am often told there is a lack of data to justify traffic calming measures in areas blighted by antisocial vehicle usage.  

Therefore, I would appreciate clarification on how local police is working with and sharing data with Staffordshire County Council to implement traffic calming measures in these areas of high antisocial vehicle usage. 

Yours sincerely,

Adam Jogee MP

Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme

Adam Jogee MP to Ben Adams - Speeding.pdf

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