The A10 connects the North Circular in Enfield with the M25 on the Hertfordshire border

Safety concerns as road is used for late-night racing, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Speeding and dangerous driving on the A10 is putting people at risk of being killed, campaigners have warned.

Transport group Better Streets for Enfield called for a crackdown on the car racers, who continue to make residents’ lives a “misery” despite repeated pledges to put a stop to speeding drivers.

The group wrote an open letter to Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police following a series of weekends when racing has taken place late at night. It warned: “We are not sleeping on weekend nights due to the noise. That affects our health and relationships. There is a constant risk of death and serious injury as this criminal behaviour goes unchallenged.

“We have heard of three people dying on the A10 in 2018 – perhaps there were more. For each individual there was a family and community torn apart. And how many more have suffered life-changing injuries in high-speed collisions on the A10?”

The group hailed what it thought was a breakthrough in November 2017 after TfL, Enfield Council and the Met Police agreed measures aimed at tackling the problem. Mobile speed cameras were rolled out and the council introduced regulations designed to make it easier for police to stop “car-cruising meets”. TfL also promised to introduce average speed traps.

But racing continued and Better Streets for Enfield warned that authorities were “passing the buck”.

Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, of the roads and transport policing command, said: “Exceeding the speed limit is dangerous and a serious offence under the Road Traffic Act. People who do so are not properly in control of their vehicle and are more likely to be involved in a collision.

“Our roads policing teams are actively targeting motorists and riders who exceed the speed limit or commit other road traffic offences along the A10 and will take appropriate action against them.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wants to eliminate deaths and serious injury from London’s roads by 2041. Stuart Reid, interim director of the ‘Vision Zero’ road safety project for TfL, said: “We are looking into the option of speed cameras as a solution, as well as the use of mobile speed cameras deployed to high-risk locations and our ongoing funding of the roads and transport policing command.”

A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the issues on the A10 and sympathise with those who reside in the vicinity.

“In 2018 the council introduced public spaces protection orders to provide more effective powers to help reduce anti-social behaviour in the borough. One of these covers vehicle cruising, speeding, driving in convoy, racing, performing stunts, sounding horns and revving engines.

“Primary responsibility resides with the police. Our understanding is the police are dealing with these offences by charging individuals and issuing fixed penalty notices.

“We also understand the Met Police is under-resourced and there are difficulties in addressing offences of this nature. In the meantime, we continue to work with police and TfL to investigate long-term solutions.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, a lead officer for road safety at the Met Police, reported at the end of May that following a four-week targeted patrol 147 drivers had been caught speeding, with the highest recorded speed 127mph. Six arrests were made.

To report a road traffic offence:
Visit met.police.uk/ro/report/rti/report-a-road-traffic-incident

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