{"id":472400,"date":"2025-10-04T00:50:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T00:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/472400\/"},"modified":"2025-10-04T00:50:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T00:50:16","slug":"locals-in-south-queensferry-disappointed-after-petition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/472400\/","title":{"rendered":"Locals in South Queensferry disappointed after petition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local councillor Kevin Lang has put the skids on residents\u2019 hopes for dealing with the nightmare of boy racers outside their homes anytime soon.<\/p>\n

Locals in South Queensferry are disappointed that their suggestions made in a petition signed by 551 individuals and 4 businesses appear to have been put aside in favour of the Liberal Democrat councillor\u2019s proposals. Locals asked for the Hawes Car Park to be closed overnight from 10pm to 6am, and for the council and police to introduce \u201cmore and better CCTV cameras\u201d. None of this was included in Cllr Lang\u2019s amendment which locals say kicks the can down the road for four months.<\/p>\n

Cllr Lang asked that the Executive Director of Place writes to Police Scotland asking what action they are taking, and for council officers to speak to Transport Scotland in their ongoing discussions with them about the council getting more powers to install and operate speed cameras.<\/p>\n

He asked the petitioners what they would like the police to do. He said: \u201cThe petition does ask for the police to do more so I am keen to understand from you what you would see the police doing that they have not been doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy Scott local resident said it would be best if there could be better CCTV cameras to identify people and provide video evidence. He explained this cannot be left to locals who are often too late trying to film the nuisance when it happens. <\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThe police have to ask the council at the moment to release the footage. Also they just have to hope that the camera is pointing in the right direction so that they can get the number of the car or the bike. And they do not record noise \u2013 and I can assure you that the noise is the most distressing thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Scott explained that the drivers who come to visit South Queensferry now bring deckchairs where they \u201csit and hold court\u201d. He outlined what his partner had asked him just recently \u2013 whether he looked out the window at the \u201cfantastic view\u201d. He said he didn\u2019t. He is simply looking out to the car park to see what is happening there and they have lost that beautiful view from their home.<\/p>\n

He also explained during the meeting<\/a> that the traffic calming measures \u2013 raised tables in the car park \u2013 have just become an attraction for the bikers among nightly visitors who use them to launch their bikes off.<\/p>\n

The locals have attended three public meetings in the town in the past year \u2013 convened by Cllr Lang\u2019s colleague, the Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, \u2013 and they say they were disappointed that the terms of the petition which included suggestions as to how this ongoing problem would be dealt with appeared to be ignored. <\/p>\n

Andy Scott spoke at the committee meeting<\/a>, and after reflecting on the result, he said: \u201cThis is all highly frustrating! We stated a number of suggestions in the Petition, which we thought were self explanatory and which the Council could look into immediately. What happens after 4 months? Will we get clear costed options that can be implemented quickly? \u00a0Or will we just get vague ideas that will take further months, if not years, to be agreed and put into place?<\/p>\n

\u201cAs regards contacting the Police, we have talked for years about the effectiveness of their actions and even the Police themselves have agreed that they do not have the resources to stop the behaviour because:<\/p>\n

\u2013 they are really stretched throughout the area,\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2013 their presence in marked vehicles (which are the only ones available to them except in exceptional circumstances) merely stops the behaviour for the brief time they are there,\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2013 the current CCTV cameras are not their property and are often of little help, as they cannot record noise and, even if they could, they cannot prove who is making it in a packed car park and,\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2013 even when evidence is provided to them (videos, number plates etc) it is often insufficient to bring a charge or other measure (eg ASBOs).<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result, the boy racers have continued their behaviour in ever increasing numbers and a huge proportion of the community in the affected areas has come to the conclusion that (as stated in\u00a0the Petition) that non-police intervention measures are required and, in particular, the closure of the car park at night and traffic calming measures around the town. That is why there was such a great response to the Petition. Anything less will not discourage the individuals \u2013 who gather virtually every night \u2013 from carrying on their anti-social behaviour with virtually no consequences. \u00a0And the residents are left to continue their lives tormented by the behaviour, noise, aggravation and disruption in what should be one of the most iconic places in Scotland.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is likely the report will be discussed by the Transport and Environment Committee at their January meeting. <\/p>\n

\"\"5 June 2025 Boy racers congregate at the car park at 10pm.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.<\/p>\n

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