Last week, more than 20 residents of Gowther Street inLeeming held a meeting with Mr Francis in an attempt to find solutions to what they say is an increasingly dangerous hoon situation.
Exhausted and concerned about safety on the street, residents said it had come to a point where they needed to address the situation after an increase in the number of hoon drivers using the local street as a ‘racetrack’.
The residents said that most nights, hoon driving, loud tyre screeches and excessive revving would be heard along the road as cars came from Karel Avenue through Gowther Road, on to Finlay Road and South Street.
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READ NOW‘We met up because we are concerned about safety on the street, which has got to the point where we will not let our children play out the front,’ Gowther Street resident David Johnston said. ‘We want to find some solutions that will make the street safer.’
Another resident said it was not just the fast driving but ‘the reckless speed, the noise and tyre spinning that goes with it’.
Residents said between 10pm and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights was the worst time for hooning along the street, but it could happen any time of the day and night.
Mr Francis said he was surprised that quiet streets in ‘sleepy little Leeming’ were becoming hoon racetracks and would talk to the police about getting a more visible police presence in the area.
He admitted many streets in Leeming were now being used as rat runs to bypass parts of Karel Avenue and South Street because of congestion, and said he would also speak to the transport minister about the problem.
However, he said speed humps or local traffic only signs would not be the best option.
‘You do not want a speed hump out the front of your house,’ he said.
But he agreed a white stop line at the end of the street or police presence could be a solution.
Mr Francis called on the locals to report every hoon incident to he police.
‘It might sound silly but the police need to know when and where it is happening so they can put a stop to it,’ he said.
The residents of Gowther Street said they would meet again and do what they could to stop the hooning.