Southampton described as a 'Monte Carlo race track'
A councillor's criticised those who use their 'high-performance cars to race each other'
Last updated 16th May 2023
There's frustration from a Southampton councillor, who's launched a scathing attack on those who are turning the city into a 'Monte Carlo race track'.
Dave Shields has hit out at people with 'high-performance cars who can afford luxury apartments in Ocean Village and use the roads to race each other'.
The Freemantle councillor is considering a range of measures to tackle the problem, including a community speed watch programme for Southampton.
Cllr Shields said: "In Southampton, there is no community speed watch, possibly because it has not been a priority, and recently it has become a community concern.
"Regularly, Southampton looks like a Monte Carlo race track with people with their high-performance cars who can afford luxury apartments in Ocean Village using the roads to race each other.
"We also have what residents call ‘rat running’ in residential areas where people are cutting through there with great frequency and a lot of frustration about the inability to address that.
"I wonder how we can perhaps look at a community speed watch which adapts to the urban challenges that we face.
"The number of fatalities in Southampton has been increasing year on year over the last 10 or 15 years."
To tackle anti-social behaviour, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner granted Southampton £100,000 for introducing new speed cameras on key junctions where both speed and jumping red lights are an issue.