EXCLUSIVE: Shocking video shows massive gatherings of loud motorbikes and scooters deafening residents just over a mile from Westminster.
Marauding motorbike yobs are ‘terrorising’ residents and tourists in the heart of Sadiq Khan’s lawless London with mass nighttime meetings of more than 200 petrolheads turning parts of the capital into a racetrack. Shocking video footage filmed by locals on Belvedere Road, and surrounding streets, in Southbank, shows roads packed with hordes of young bikers noisily revving their engines and racing their machines well into the night.
Thousands have now signed a petition calling for action from the Metropolitan Police and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to tackle the rogue roadsters. The Met said it was “aware” of the problem and that dispersal orders were being issued by officers. However, the Mayor’s office said it was an issue for the police and local council.
Labour councillor for Waterloo and Southbank, Ibrahim Dogus, told the Daily Express he was “astonished” Mayor Khan’s office wasn’t lifting a finger to help. “I am genuinely astonished that the Mayor’s office considers this a non-issue, especially given that over 2,000 Londoners are directly affected”, he said. “We expect all stakeholders to collaborate urgently and put an end to the bikers terrorising our streets.”
Mr Dogus added: “Waterloo residents and businesses have had enough of the deafening motorbike noise that blights our community, often late into the night. This is not just a nuisance, it’s a public health and safety issue.
Motorbikes cause chaos in central London (Image: Supplied )
“We need the police, City Hall, and local authorities to take this problem seriously and work together to put a stop to it. The message must be clear: our streets are for everyone, not a racetrack for a reckless few.”
Mr Dogus said ideas to combat the street racers could include new road layouts or police seizures of the bikes, as well as the installation of acoustic cameras which use number-plate recognition to issue fines to vehicles exceeding legal noise limits.
Local resident Susana Garcia told this paper the noise levels caused by the bikers wake up her young children and that sometimes the decibel level is so high, it “feels like they (the bikers) are inside the house”.
She said: “We are parents of very young children so this noise at night impacts the family as a whole, not allowing us to fall asleep, or waking them up at night, it usually happens close to midnight and could last for a while.
“It was very frustrating not being able to call or report it to anyone, you simply feel powerless and anxious knowing that the following night could be the same.”
Motorbike yobs terrorising residents in central London (Image: Supplied )
The London Mayor’s office said the matter was for the police and local authority to handle.
Dr Cllr Mahamed Hashi, Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “We understand local people’s concerns and have been supporting the police by sharing CCTV to identify potential offenders.
“A community reassurance meeting about the issue will be attended by council representatives, and we will continue supporting the Met’s efforts to find a long-term solution.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “Police are aware of residents’ concerns about motorbike gatherings. Officers have issued dispersal orders in the area and will continue to work to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area.
“This includes developing a long-term plan working with local partners to dissuade bikers, which we are actively working towards. If you have concerns about behaviour in the area please call 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
A meeting is due to take place on September 24 between locals, the police, councillors and London assembly members.
