People living in an exclusive London neighborhood very close to Buckingham Palace face a nightly threat that complicates their lives.
Often considered one of the most exclusive postcodes in the UK, St James had an average house price of over £3.3 million last year.
But every Sunday around midnight Waterloo Place becomes “dangerous”, with so-called racer boys coming down in the middle of the night to rev their bikes and do stunts.
Locals say car enthusiasts spend hours doing donuts, revving their “boosted engines” and making noises “so loud they sound like they’re exploding.”
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Locals say their lives have become a torture – they struggle to sleep and are stressed by driving that they say is “an accident waiting to happen”. Others who filmed the gatherings to report them to the police claim they were “intimidated” by the organisers.
Locals say drivers “know what they’re doing is illegal” because they hide their car registration plates and often wear bonnets and hoods. And now, locals are campaigning to get funding for police road crews so something can be done before “someone gets seriously hurt”.
Anne Mannion, who has lived in the West End for nearly 40 years, said: “I’ve lived in central London for a number of years, near the theatre, the nightclubs, the busy roads. I know the noise. I’m used to it. You expect it and you deal with it to have the privilege of living in these places.”
“But this? This is on another level. It’s absolutely incredible. When it first started I thought there were explosions. That’s what it sounds like. My bed is shaking. I feel like a plane is taking off. I mean – there are hundreds of supercars out there, as well as cars with ‘boosted’ engines.”
“This is truly horrific. All kinds of people live in this building. Elderly people, families with children, professionals who have to get up early in the morning. This has to stop. It’s driving people away. My daughter moved out because she couldn’t take it anymore.”
Media barrister Ms Mannion said the car dates started during lockdown, when there was no one else on the roads. Since then, they have continued almost every weekend – including Bank Holidays and even Christmas Day.
“They have no respect for people’s lives – or their right to a holiday,” said Ms Mannion. “And they have no respect for the roads. They drive dangerously – doing doughnuts and stuff. And they block all traffic through Trafalgar Square – what about ambulances?”
“They even set off fireworks at one of the last meetings.”
Miss Mannion would drive down from her home to film car encounters – sending the footage to the Met Police and Westminster Council. Drivers could then be fined for dangerous driving – and for breaching the Public Space Protection Order in force in the area.
However, she is now afraid to do so because of the “intimidating” behaviour of the organisers. The mother, in her late 50s, said: “It is very dangerous for me to film them because they know me. As well as the cars being dangerous, men approach me when I go there.
“They ask me why I’m filming. They laugh at me. They’ve shared videos of me on TikTok. It’s scary. I feel in danger. But they know what they’re doing is illegal. They’re covering up their license plates. They think they’re being clever.”
Another local resident, Sanzhar Abishev, is also concerned about the gatherings, which he says pose a danger to the community. The 31-year-old said: “They drive very recklessly. They do donuts at high speed. They burn tyres and their engines overheat. There is a risk of explosion.
“They’re blocking off all lanes of traffic – so ambulances can’t get through. And they’re out of control with hundreds of spectators nearby. It’s an accident waiting to happen. When the police come, they run up the pavement and run away. Last time, someone was shot. Luckily it wasn’t serious, but it could have been. Something needs to be done before someone gets seriously hurt.”
Mr Abishev, a local business owner, said the meetings were “very well planned”.
He said: “These are not done on a whim. They can happen every weekend. They usually start late but sometimes they start as early as 4pm or 5pm – and can go on until 2am or 3am. Previously, local police officers were incredibly helpful. They would put in spikes and close off the area. Drivers would get caught and fined.”
“While many drivers are removing their plates – which is of course a crime in itself – local residents and businesses are now having to donate their time to help – setting up their own neighbourhood watch and doing their own investigative work.”
“This needs to stop. It’s devastating and disruptive for local residents – and it’s devastating for London. “It wouldn’t reflect well on our capital if tourists saw people driving dangerously.”
Ms Mannion added: “It was amazing when the police were able to help. We need them so we can show these racers that they can’t do this anymore.”
Earlier this month, four drivers were issued with fixed penalty notices after they were caught on camera burning tyres and revving their engines at one such late-night car meet. Some of the offending cars included a well-tuned BMW coupe and a Mercedes C63 AMG worth almost £100,000, according to Westminster City Council (WCC).
Drivers were caught after triggering acoustic noise cameras. Installed in 2021, the cameras are activated when they detect incidents above 80-90 decibels – as loud as standing next to a passing London Underground train.
The camera then uses AI to track sound patterns to distinguish the sound of an engine from a typical car horn. Commenting on the car encounters, Cllr Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection at Westminster City Council, said: “Driving like this is not only undesirable in Westminster, it is incredibly dangerous.”
“We often see an increase in this type of behaviour during the summer months but we will continue to work throughout the year to prevent this from happening. We have zero tolerance for antisocial driving so I welcome the latest series of penalties and hope that by working with our partners we can identify others.”
“If you’re looking to encounter these types of cars, our streets are not the place for it.”
The Metropolitan Police Department has also been contacted for comment.