New boy racer measures introduced ahead of car show

5 March 2008

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has today (Wednesday, 5 March) used his executive powers to introduce new measures to target boy racers ahead of a car show in the city this weekend, 7 to 8 March.

Oxford Terrace – namely The Strip – will be closed to all traffic this weekend from 10pm to 5am and a ban on parking along Moorhouse Avenue will be introduced during the same hours – an area of the city where businesses have been under siege from boy racer activities.

Previous car shows in the city have been attended by large numbers of boy racers from throughout the South Island and resulted in significant levels of violence and property damage, Mr Parker said.

"Police asked the City Council for their assistance to implement these measures to help combat the disruption caused by these boy racers.

"Christchurch has made a commitment to zero tolerance for violence and this type of behaviour in our city. The safety of Christchurch residents and visitors to this city will always be paramount."

Mr Parker said Christchurch aims to be New Zealand’s safest city and the new measures reinforce the outcomes from last week’s meeting between Council and Police to develop new initiatives to target the city’s hot spots.

"I will not tolerate this type of destructive and violent behaviour in our city. There is a strong collaborative partnership between Council, Police and other agencies and we will take all practical measures within our powers to stamp out the damage down by boy racers and the fear they impart in our community."

Oxford Terrace will be closed this Friday and Saturday nights, from Lichfield Street to Hereford Street, and there will be a ban on vehicles stopping on Moorhouse Avenue, from Montreal Street to Lincoln Road.

The Police’s Canterbury Road Policing Manager Inspector Derek Erasmus said in past years these gatherings of boy racers on Moorhouse Avenue have resulted in fights, damage to commercial premises, littering and the smashing of glass.

"It has also resulted in disorder on Oxford Terrace where patrons from licensed premises have been involved in violent confrontations with boy racers and their associates."

Inspector Erasmus said other road closures and parking restrictions within the four avenues were carefully considered for this weekend but the different nature of these streets, being predominately residential and having access issues, this action could not pursued.

"Residents, however, need to be aware that the Police have been planning for this weekend for some time and will be carrying out a significant enforcement operation which will target all potential boy racer areas."

He said it was great Council and Police had been able to work together to lessen the impact of this event on the city.

"This is an issue that the Police can not deal with on its own. By working together, we will be able to achieve a better outcome for the city."

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