Speed humps put brakes on boy racers

10:28am Tuesday 24th October 2006

Companies on the Colonnades retail park - which is regularly invaded by car enthusiasts - are hoping to give boy racers a bumpy ride.

Tenants at the Purley Way-based site, which is home to Greens Health and Fitness centre and leisure complex City Limits, have taken the problem of cruising into their own hands.

The retail park is invaded by hundreds of car enthusiasts every Thursday night, which has resulted in new speed humps being installed in the Colonnades car park to stop the young drivers from hitting excessive speeds during the weekly cruising meetings.

The new speed restrictions come after years of problems with cruising in Purley Way, resulting in the death of three people since 2002 and thousands of pounds worth of damage to businesses in the area. It is understood firms on the retail site have contacted the site's landlords in a bid to tackle the weekly Thursday night problem.

The landlord of Colonnades retail centre, global real estate advisors DTZ, said installing the new speed humps showed they are taking a "proactive" approach to combating the Thursday night cruising problem.

A spokesman for DTZ said they have been aware of the Thursday night cruising meetings for a while.

He said: "We have known about the cruising issue at the Colonnades in Purley Way for around three months. The work on the ramps started last week and are now operational.

"There has been no feedback as of yet with regards to the impact the speed humps but we are still working together with the local authorities, police and local community groups to find a solution to the problem. It is still very much on our agenda."

Keen cruiser Joseph Byrne, 22, labelled the new speed restrictions "a waste of time".

He said: "To me it's a ridiculous idea. The car park is so small that by the time you reach 20mph you have to slow down anyway. There is just no need for them there. It's not like people go stupidly fast at the Colonnades - it's just not big enough. There is no point."

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