A councillor is out to stop grass verge car racers endangering life and the environment at part of Chignal Estate, North Chelmsford.

Cllr John Devane is calling for the borough council to insert bollards to prevent cars being driven on the public greenswards in the giant council estate off Avon Road.

Cllr Devane, and colleague Russell Kennedy and Labour Party members, surveyed residents and found the 'boy racer' worries came top of the complaints list.

They say the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act was introduced to "stamp out this sort of mindless and irresponsible behaviour and its high time the council used the powers given to do just that," Mr Kennedy a Springfield Parish Councillor told This Is Essex.

Cllr Devane thinks the problem can be eradicated by bollards on the greens at Derwent, Tyne, Eden, and Mersey Way.

"You can clearly see the tyre marks left by motorists as they cut across grass verges only yards from residents front doors, and I fear that an accident is just waiting to happen."

A spokesman for Chelmsford Borough Council said: "We are looking into the concerns of these councillors after the matter was brought to our attention by the Chronicle."

Cllr Devane and Mr Kennedy point to tyre tracks at Chignal.

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