POLICEMAN says a road on Canvey needs to be altered to deter drivers who are regularly using it as a racetrack.

Sgt Mark McQuade, of Castle Point neighbourhood policing team, says sending officers to the Roscommon Way area is only a short-term solution and changes are needed to make it less attractive to what he terms “racing enthusiasts”.

He wants Essex County Council to put up CCTV cameras, and better lighting so the offenders and be caught on camera.

He would also like to see a special road surface laid to make it harder for racers to skid noisily around the road’s twin roundabouts.

He also thinks putting up gates to close part of the road overnight might be worth considering.

Sgt McQuade said: “This is a local highways problem, not a police problem. It’s up to the council to findamore permanent solution.

“We have been working with the council and there have been discussions around the types of road surface which could be put in to stop people being able to skid around the roundabouts.

“However, the problem will continue as long as the road layout stays the way it is. We are tackling the issue where we can, and pulling people over, but it’s the sort of problem which comes back whenever we go away. We cannot be there 24 hours a day as a security service for that road.

“We understand it is difficult to come up with the money for this work, but we can only provide assistance in the short term.”

Sgt McQuade’s comments followed a police clampdown at the weekend, in response to complaints from residents angry at being woken every night for the past week by the sound of souped-up car engines and skidding tyres. Local officers used speed guns with laser technology in an effort to catch the culprits.

Sgt McQuade added: “These are not yobs, or the typical boy racers. They are racing enthusiasts and they come from all over to go to the town, knowing half a mile away there is a lovely circuit for them to race round.

“We understand what residents are going through and we are doing all we can to stop it.”

A Castle Point Council spokesman said: “Installing extra CCTV cameras is something we can look into through the regeneration partnership.”