YOUNG PEOPLE ARE 'BLIGHT ON OUR AREA'

Drugs, Litter And Speeding Cars Are Blighting A Quiet Residential Area As
Neighbours Claim Young People Are Causing Chaos.

Dangerous parking, blaring music and illegal drug use around Grove
Park, Bury St Edmunds, are being blamed on young people.

Mandy French, of Grove Park, said: "I have seen kids in the community
gardens rolling up joints in there.

"I find drug bags in there and empty pill packets as well."

Mrs French claims she visits the Neighbourhood Watch community garden
in Grove Park every two days to clear up litter.

She claimed drivers regularly blocked the road with illegal parking
and sped around the narrow roads.

Mrs French added: "It is disgusting the way they park everywhere,
throwing rubbish and using the road as a race track.

"My children ride their bikes around here. Someone is going to get
killed one day."

Concerns have also been raised about the safety of elderly neighbours
in the street as residents claim fire and ambulance vehicles would
not be able to make it past the rows of parked cars.

Janet Perrio, who also lives in Grove Park, said: "It's an absolute
nightmare. We have had no end of problems. They come roaring round
here and you've only got to have a little one in the road and there
will be an accident."

David Howells, vice-principal of nearby West Suffolk College, on Out
Risbygate, said adequate parking schemes for students were included
in the long-term expansion plans for the centre.

He also said students were offered subsidised parking permits for the
Parkway multi-storey car park for UKP10 a year.

He said: "I am not aware of any drug use in the community gardens and
I am sympathetic to the problem of inconsiderate parking.

"We are doing everything we can to try to educate people but if
someone is parked legally, there is not much you can do."

Mr Howells added the college had put notices at the front of the
college telling students to take notice of residents' feelings.

He said: "I have had complaints of abuse by students from members of
the public.

"I suggested if someone abuses them and they let me have a vehicle
registration number, then we can take disciplinary action."