'Stop using our roads as a racetrack'

ELECTED reps have warned that someone is going to be seriously injured or killed on the roads around Nutts Corner, Crumlin and Dundrod due to dangerous and illegal high speed stunts and races being organised online.

Sinn Fein Airport councillor Anne Marie Logue said: “It has come to my attention that organised speed racing and drifting events are taking place at the Nutt’s Corner area creating a dangerous situation that demands immediate and serious attention from the authorities.

“Despite numerous reports and documented incidents, there has been a lack of tangible action from the police to address these hazardous activities.

“It is concerning that social media platforms are rife with videos showing vehicles performing dangerous manoeuvres on the roundabout while normal traffic is forced to a standstill, posing a significant risk to public safety.

“The noise generated is deafening for those living in the immediate area and can be heard as far away as Crumlin and Glenavy.

“This relentless noise and disruption are intolerable for residents who are subjected to excessive noise and hostility from a group that shows no regard for the harm they are causing.

“I urge the police to take decisive action to prevent these dangerous events from continuing and to ensure the safety and well being of our community. They have also been in Crumlin, in the town, and ‘diffing’ on the Ballydonaghy Road, waking children out of their sleep.”

An eyewitness from Crumlin told the Antrim Guardian: “One idiot went up and down the Main Street and made all the pops and bangs.

“He’s known to be the ringleader here, who will hurt someone someday, driving like he does.”

It’s understood that some drivers had been illegally using a yard in the Nutt’s Corner locality before the landowner made it inaccessible.

South Antrim Alliance MLA John Blair has also raised the issue, saying: “Dangerous driving and illegal on-road racing, seriously breaking speed limits, has been an ongoing concern in the Nutt’s Corner area for many months now and I have dealt with this a number of times as a local MLA.

“I know that local Police, from both the Antrim and Newtownabbey and Lisburn and Castlereagh areas, have dedicated resources to this in recent times at Nutt’s Corner and on roads around Crumlin, Glenavy and Dundrod.

“Apart from this drain on police resources, these anti-social activities using cars present a serious danger to other road users and a nuisance for local residents.

“Those taking part should not need a reminder of the number of accidents, fatalities and injuries on our roads as these are evident from the stark road traffic accidents reports we see all too regularly.

“I would strongly urge all involved to desist from this reckless activity, and I also appeal to members of the public to report this to Police as soon as they can in the interests of public safety.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein South Antrim MLA Delcan Keaney has urged all road users to be on their guard this Christmas.

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