New weapon to tackle street racers in Barking and Dagenham is unveiled
Drones like this one are being used across Barking and Dagenham to catch street racers. Picture: Aeryon Labs - Credit: Archant
Barking and Dagenham Council are using drones to tackle street racers.
Together with the Met Police’s drone division, officers are using the technology to catch people racing and “drifting”, a technique which intentionally causes a car to slide across the road.
It was debuted in Perry Road in Dagenham across two nights, with officers issuing three Section 59 notices on each night. A Section 59 means if they return to the area, they risk having their car seized and would have to pay a fine to get it back.
Councillor Margaret Mullane, cabinet member for enforcement, said: “Although these street racers might think they are an extra from the Fast and Furious, I think it’s clear they are just daft and dangerous.
“Their inconsiderate and reckless driving not only ruins our borough’s roads, but it’s also a risk to other road users.
“We will be looking at using any measure to gather evidence in a bid to put the brakes on this troublesome behavior for good.”
