Barriers to slow down Midlands boy racers

The traffic calming measures will be put in place along a section of Nechells' Heartlands Parkway on Sunday night to reduce the stretch to a single carriageway and slow traffic speed.

It comes as part of a police operation on street racers who have been plaguing city streets.

The move by Birmingham's Road Safety Partnership – which includes West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and Birmingham City Council – is in response to a public outcry after hundreds of street racers were caught on covert CCTV cameras turning the A47 into a drag strip. In the most shocking footage, a schoolboy could be seen dodging speeding drivers while acting as an unofficial race starter.

The barricades will be in place on Sunday nights, into the early hours of Monday morning, for the foreseeable future.

Police have charged more than 200 motorists with driving offences in Heartlands Parkway since May – seeing many disqualified from driving and handed hefty fines – while a similar number are still being processed by the courts.

Birmingham police Inspector Paul Dutton, said: "These traffic calming measures will prevent side-by-side racing and reduce drive speeds along that stretch.

"They will only be introduced late on Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday so won't impact on the majority of other road users.

Dangerous

"Offenders have been using this stretch of the A47 in-particular to race each other and reach speeds of up to 120mph.

It's very dangerous, it has resulted in numerous accidents – some involving innocent motorists – and has caused considerable noise disturbance and inconvenience for many local residents and businesses.

"It's totally unacceptable and anyone who participates in street racing on Birmingham's roads needs to understand we will prosecute them."

In addition to driving bans and fines, more than 110 civil injunctions have been taken out on offenders, stopping them from taking part in, or even watching, street racing. Those who breach the terms of the injunction face a £5,000 fine and can have their car seized and crushed.

Road Safety Partnership manager Trudi Maybury, added: "Given the sheer number of spectators and participants, it would only take one vehicle to lose control for us to witness devastating consequences."