Medway City Estate plagued with boy racers and one bike is destroyed after a crash
17:00, 07 August 2019
Drivers travelling "more than 100mph", who have plagued a city estate for years are back - despite a police crackdown.
Last month, officers were once again forced to impose a dispersal order on the Medway City Estate to break up groups causing problems after a multi-vehicle crash on May 31.
But last Friday night, the nuisance drivers returned with one motorcyclist filmed doing wheelies before coming off his bike.
The man was treated by paramedics for a collar bone injury before being taken to Medway Maritime Hospital.
A video also shows a stream of souped-up cars roaring their engines virtually bumper to bumper in clear vision of a police patrol car.
A car belonging to lorry driver Stanciu Radu, parked on the estate, was written off in a fireball four-vehicle collision about six weeks ago.
Mr Radu, 29, was working at Xpo Logistics and had left his Ford Fiesta outside the depot in Thomas Longley Road when his vehicle was struck.
He said: "It was mixed emotions. I was angry but also happy as my car acted as a buffer between the road where they were racing and those standing on the side.
"Somebody could have easily been seriously injured or even killed.
"I have a motorbike and there's nothing wrong with meeting up to show off your bike or car. It's when they start racing. It goes mad.
"They go at at more than 100mph. It's very dangerous for us when we are coming out of the depot. It can take at least four seconds [to manoeuvre the lorry out of the entrance] and we don't have time to get out of the way if they are flying past."
Police confirmed they will be enforcing dispersal orders again this weekend.
Under the measures, any group of two or more people found causing, or likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress,could be dispersed by a uniformed officer.
In the last operation - over the weekend of Friday, July 19 and Sunday, July 21 - a drug driving arrest was made.
The suspect, a 19-year-old man from Strood, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of cannabis and has since been released, pending further inquiries.
On the previous night, the occupants of around 20 vehicles were reminded of their responsibilities to drive in accordance with the Highway Code and none were observed driving in a dangerous or anti-social manner.
In the past, employees on the industrial park have raised concerns about clearing up rubbish, including drug paraphernalia, when returning to work on Monday morning.
Inspector Rachel Harris, from Kent Police’s Medway Community Safety Unit, said: "Dispersal orders give us the power to remove groups of people who we believe are likely to cause anti-social behaviour and anyone who fails to comply with an instruction from an officer risks being arrested.
"Our officers will be at Medway City Estate over the weekend and anyone behaving anti-socially will be dealt with in a proportionate way.
"It is important that people report these issues to us so that we can respond effectively. Anyone with concerns of anti-social behaviour should call 101 or use our online reporting facility on the Kent Police website."
Seventeen people were injured at a car cruising event in Stevenage on Thursday, July 18, when two cars crashed and ploughed into spectators.
Latest news
Features
Most popular
- 1
Boy, 16, found safe after going missing nine days ago
- 2
Only shop in village to shut this week as ‘devastated’ couple leave Kent
18 - 3
‘This rat-run bridge isn’t wide enough - someone will be killed soon’
- 4
Bomb disposal truck spotted in town centre
- 5
A-road shut in both directions after water main bursts