Boy racers cause havoc as former Glasgow cop HQ becomes late-night rally base

BRAZEN boy racers have claimed a disused police headquarters as a base for their late-night rallies.

Petrol-neds with souped-up cars meet nightly at the former police HQ on Pitt Street, Glasgow, before racing each other around the city centre.

The imposing command centre which closed in March this year has become the start and finishing line for races which go on until 3am in the morning.

Many of the cars they drive have modified exhausts that increase the sound of their acceleration to ear-busting levels.

Residents and those staying at luxury hotels around nearby Blythswood Square are routinely kept awake by their antics.

Some even told our reporters that they have been intimidated by drivers and their passengers after confronting them.

Earlier this month owners of high end hotels and local businesses had a sit down with council chiefs in a desperate bid to seek an end to the problem.

Janice Fisher, general manager of the Ibis hotel, said: “They park at the shutters of the former police station. I’ve counted at least 100 people gathering. There were three or four people to a car.

“If anyone goes out to confront them you can guarantee that a crew of these drivers will turn up.”

Christophe Pfeilstucker, general manager of Novotel, said he is concerned at the speed and driving ability of some of the racers.

He said: “One day it could end up in a fatality.”

Police have tried to tackle the problem by pulling over some drivers for spot-checks.

This uncovered a range of alleged offences, including excessive speeding and minor infractions such as broken bulbs and faulty seat belts.

However, these efforts have not been enough to deter boy racers.

Murray Thomson, general manager of Blythswood Square Hotel, said: “The police need more powers to tackle the problem.

“The challenge we have is that it’s a legislation change that is perhaps required.”

One Tayside based businessman who recently stayed at the Malmaison Hotel, near to the former police HQ, said he was kept awake all night by the racers.

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said the city centre racers started using Pitt Street as their rendezvous point shortly after it closed.

“It’s almost as if the police have abandoned the city centre to them,” she said. “Their symbolic taking over of the old Strathclyde police HQ is very telling.”

The former Police base (Chris Austin / DC Thomson)

Some companies have also suggested establishing a business improvement district around Blythswood that could see hotels pay more in council tax.

The firms hope that by doing so they could get more of a say in how that money is used and have it put towards tackling the issue.

Philip Goose, senior community engagement officer at Brake, the road safety charity, said: “Speeding and racing on public roads is incredibly dangerous, and has huge potential to seriously injure or kill the participants themselves or other road users.

“Dangerous driving needs to be tackled there needs to be effective enforcement of the law, effective prosecutions and effective deterrents to ensure this behaviour no longer poses a threat.”

Superintendent Fraser Candlish, of Police Scotland’s road policing unit, said: “The priority of road safety and casualty reduction has never been higher in policing in Scotland and last year saw record numbers of offences detected.”

Police moved into Pitt Street in 1975. They moved out of the site and into a new command centre in the city’s east end.Racing cars, screeching tyres, noiseOUR reporters ventured out to watch the motorists in action last week.

Immediately outside the old police Pitt HQ, cars were parked up with people standing around goading and cheering drivers as they raced past.

Some car exhausts made gunshot sounds, leaving people in the street startled.

There was the sound of screeching tyres and smell of burning rubber. The drivers took off at breakneck speed and tore into corners.

On one evening we counted at least 60 cars. Police moved them on at one point but within half an hour they were back.

The racers who have their own website insist they are doing nothing wrong.

One told us: “All the cars are legal, as are the exhausts and the sound they make. All we’re doing is driving on the road.

“We love our cars. Where’s the harm in that?”

Is your area blighted by the menace of so-called boy racers? If so, we want to hear from you. Call our newsdesk on 0141 567 2812 or email jbreslin@sundaypost.com