‘SOMETHING has got to be done’ about ‘boy racers’ making resident’s life a misery, it has been said. Gating car parks is an idea being explored to tackle ‘great concern’ over the issue in and around West Bay.

Bridport Town Council wants to see action to overcome the problem, and a multi-agency meeting will hear ideas about potential traffic calming measures.

It could include putting a gate at the car park off West Bay Road - although the anti-social driving and speeding is an issue affecting all the car parks in the resort and the issue.

READ: Residents' concern growing over West Bay boy racers

The town council’s planning meeting recently heard how drivers race down West Bay Road late at night, sometimes as far as from the Crown roundabout to the bay, as well as the length of Station Road between the coast road and West Bay.

“We have all seen the doughnut marks in the car park,” Cllr Nigel Amor said at the meeting. Councillors supported, in principal, approaching Dorset Council’s highways department to investigate further what traffic calming measures could work.

Speaking after the meeting, town councillor Ann Langridge said: “This issue is of great concern to the residents of West Bay, particularly those living along West Bay Road and businesses adjacent to the car parks. The issue of anti-social driving is a persistent one, having being ongoing for many years now.

“It regularly takes place late evenings with several cars being driven at great speed often bumper to bumper and performing ‘doughnut turns’ in the West Bay car parks.

“Since the creation of the West Bay ward, this has been the number one issue raised by residents to the Bridport town councillors representing the ward.

“As a result of these concerns, a multiagency meeting involving Dorset Police, Dorset Highways, Dorset Councillors, Bridport Town Councillors and local residents has been arranged. “The purpose of the meeting is to initiate an investigation into traffic calming measures that would best alleviate the problem.

“It is anticipated that this will include gating one of the car parks.”

“Bridport Town Council fully supports action by the police and the Dorset Council road safety team to address the problem and welcomes the engagement of all parties to resolve the matter.”

Residents have voiced their anger over the dangerous and anti-social driving that has plagued the seaside resort for several years now.

READ: West Bay traders voice concerns over boy racers in resort

In April, a Bridport resident came forward to tell the News of an incident in which she had to push her son out of the path of a car which was speeding into a West Bay car park.

Traders in the resort, including those behind the Station Kitchen, have also described the ‘nightmare’ ordeal that boy racers have put them through as they ‘race like hell’ down West Bay Road.

The speeding cars have even caused damage to their restaurant, shattering windows as stones fly up up in the air they race along West Bay Road.