Approval for mayor's boy racer ban

Boy racers will be banned from eight roads on Christchurch's northern and western fringes from this weekend after a special order from Mayor Bob Parker.

Overwhelming public support has greeted Parker's plan to use an obscure piece of local government legislation to ban boy racers from danger spots.

Parker's order gained rapid approval from the Ministry of Transport and police, which welcomed the new tool in their arsenal against anti-social behaviour.

The ban will encompass McLeans Island Road (west from Pound Road), Chattertons Road, Miners Road, Coutts Island Road and Dickies Road in the McLeans Island area and Spencerville Road, Lower Styx Road and Kainga Road in the Spencerville area.

At a press conference yesterday, Parker said the problem had "crossed a line" with recent instances of harassment and intimidation of residents in Christchurch's fringe suburbs and cases of boy racers entering private properties, cutting fences, and endangering the safety of the public.

McLeans Island Road had been a particular danger area, with animals in Orana Park being injured and spooked and a significant fire risk had been identified in a "tinder-dry" pine plantation next to the park.

Parker was joined at the press conference by Christchurch Police District Commander Superintendent Dave Cliff, who said the ban would mean up to a $5000 fine and a court appearance for those caught violating the order.

The restricted areas would be signposted and police would use their discretion as to who was in the area for lawful or unlawful purposes, he said.

"We already have constabulary discretion around whether or not we enforce. This is targeting those who are intimidating or whose behaviour is frightening."

The ban will be implemented today when Parker signs the order under the Local Government Act 1974.

The Act requires police to have real concerns for public safety to satisfy the criteria for enacting the ban.

Cliff said the law gave the mayor the ability to close a road in specific circumstances which, under consultation with police, had been satisfied and were "entirely lawful".

Parker emphasised the solution was temporary and central government needed to legislate to deal with boy racers.

He acknowledged the problem would move to other areas, but said the council would be happy to continue banning boy racers from those roads.

The Press was yesterday deluged with supportive letters from members of the public delighted with the ban, while Parker said his office had received numerous letters and phone calls applauding the move.

Riccarton resident Tim Webster was one of many to congratulate Parker, saying: "Finally someone has had the balls to put his head above the parapet and do what he is elected to do, ie take decisive action in the best interests of the community at large. Full marks Mr Parker. Now follow through and deal with the boy-racer problem permanently."

However, not everyone was happy. Boy racers tried to attend the press conference but were barred from entering.

Boy Racers United chairwoman Rebecca Griffiths said the ban was "bull....".

Griffiths said the ban would simply move boy racers to new roads and the large fine would result in boy racers fleeing from police.

Former chairwoman Tania Westaway-King said the ban "wouldn't solve a thing".

"My worry is, where is it going to go next? Is it going to go into a more residential area?"

Westaway-King said McLeans Island Road had only become a problem since a ban in Templeton had come into force.

"On an average night you might get 300 people that go to a burnout and you'd only get 20 of them that are a nuisance."

The previous council had communicated with boy racers, but since Parker was elected mayor in October, they had not heard a thing, she said.

Westaway-King agreed the boy-racer gatherings could get out of hand, but said the solution was to provide an organised spot for burnouts.

Ruapuna Speedway had been provided for boy-racer use but Parker said it had not been utilised.

 

- © Fairfax NZ News