Joyriders making life a misery for residents on Wigan road

Westwood Way, in Poolstock, has become a hotspot for speeding cars and motorcycles, racing and causing a general nuisance, often into the early hours of the morning.

Other news: Wigan schoolboy on long road to recovery after being hit by truckAnd frustrated residents say the authorities are doing little to stop the street racing despite the issue being reported time after time.

Employees who work on the surrounding industrial estate shared their concerns with the Wigan Post last month, but residents have come forward to say that the sounds of revving engines and screeching tyres have plagued the area for years.

A father-of-two, who lives in the area but asked not to be named, said: “This has been going on for at least a couple of years.”

He said: “It’s a regular thing. It’s most nights of the week. It’s not just weekends or just every now and again, it’s happening more often that not, usually between 10.30pm to 1.30am.

"Sometimes it is quieter than others, but we can still hear it, so it’s possible it’s happening elsewhere as well.

“It’s like living in the middle of a race track.”

And the noise disturbance has become so incessant in recent weeks that residents living as far as two miles away.

Another resident said: “The cars involved are drag racing and using the road to drift. This is a public highway and is putting the lives and safety of the public in great danger. Not only is it a risk to life it is a general noise nuisance.

“This is not a single incident. This has been continuing for over two months and no one is doing anything to tackle this problem. This anti social behaviour is every night going into the early hours of the morning. I work in a high risk job and need to concentrate and remain focus during my shift.

“This nuisance is affecting my work and family life. I live two miles away and I can hear the engines and tyres screeching and it’s non-stop.”

Insp Darryl Codling of GMP’s Wigan district said: “Anti-social behaviour can be distressing for communities and businesses alike, and I would encourage anyone affected to continue reporting their concerns to us.

“When reports are made to us, we will always investigate them where possible as this enables us to build a picture of problematic areas and take the necessary action to minimise the impact this can have on the community.

“We are aware of the issues within Wigan around Westwood Park and are taking necessary steps to try and deter offenders. Reckless and dangerous driving puts other road users and the wider community at risk therefore we would like to reassure residents we are doing all we can in taking steps to minimise this before there are any fatalities or serious incidents.

“You can report incidents to GMP on our website or via 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”