Boy racers are claimed to be doing drifts around the multi-storey car park near Swansea train station, sparking fears someone could be seriously hurt or killed. Some drivers say they are struggling to park up or leave the High Street site because of the problems.
Police and Swansea Council have been alerted to the issue and officers have called on drivers to act responsibly. South Wales Police said it had stepped up patrols in the area as a result.
One Swansea resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “Does anyone know why the train station multi-storey car park has become a meet up for wannabe drifters? Large crowds of people with cars are racing about within the car park, making leaving and using it hard. I hope Swansea Council are aware of this.”
The car park was once branded 'disgusting' by then Welsh Member of the Senedd Bethan Sayed. In 2019 the Plaid Cymru MS, who did not stand for re-election in 2021, said following a visit: “If you come into Swansea as a tourist or as a local person looking to do some shopping, it’s just absolutely disgusting. The lifts don’t work, there are wires sticking out of the walls, and the smell is really, really bad. I go into the middle of Swansea a lot and often park at this car park. It hasn’t been great for years but it’s really bad now."
It later underwent a spruce-up with fresh painting, new lighting and additional CCTV.
Following the latest reports of its mis-use, some defended the drivers being there and indicated they felt it was better than them tearing around Swansea’s streets. Sadly, it seems like some drivers are already doing this. Problems with boy racers have also been reported in Mumbles where it's claimed they are turning the area into a race track, leading to complaints from residents over loud cars. You can read more about that here, and for more Swansea news you can sign up with our newsletter.
A spokesman for Swansea Council said of the High Street car park issue: “This has been brought to our attention and we are liaising with South Wales Police to prevent a reoccurrence.”
Local Police Inspector Matt Otteson said: “We are aware of concerns regarding the multi-storey car park on High Street, with the car park being used as a car meet area, and have received reports of dangerous driving at the location.
“While the majority of car enthusiasts are law-abiding and passionate about their vehicles, these meets can cause disruption and disturbance to other car park users, as well as pose an unacceptable risk to public safety. We ask all drivers to act responsibly and drive safely. We will not allow such behaviour to go unchallenged and we have stepped up patrols in the area and will be monitoring the situation carefully.”
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