Manukau City Council is urging Central government to push through a private members bill that will see cars confiscated from Illegal street racers because current bylaws aren’t tough enough.

Illegal street or drag racing has been a major concern throughout New Zealand and Chairperson of the Transport Committee Cr. Ian McGechie says Central Government isn’t doing enough.

“It’s frustrating to see such a lack of inaction by Central Government to address this major issue. NSW introduced car confiscation five years ago and it’s a proven method of reducing offending. We have a private members Bill here that could give us the same result so we’re 100% behind it being introduced to Parliament with urgency given the extent of the problem,” said Mr McGechie.

MP for Waimakariri, Clayton Cosgrove has prepared a draft Land Transport (Street and Illegal Drag Racing) Amendment Bill similar to that introduced in NSW. However, the draft bill is yet to be drawn from the ballot for introduction to Parliament.

Cr. McGechie says Council and Police have tried to control the problem with varying measures of success.

“Illegal street racing is now an endemic problem in Manukau City, and indeed the Auckland Region. Our bylaws just don’t deter the people that they’re aimed at and have little or no impact on the problem. A bylaw we thought would be successful was prohibiting vehicles weighing less than 3,500kg from certain streets. However, the problem is now occurring on roads that would be difficult to include in the bylaw because of their classification.”

We need to send a hard-hitting message to these youth. After all they spend thousands of dollars on their vehicles to race illegally and leave the ratepayer to foot the bill for damage, litter and resealing. That costs thousands of dollars a year. Taking a $15,000 plus car for 28 days, or permanently if it happens a second time’ will make them think twice,” said Cr. McGechie.

The Transport Committee has also agreed to facilitate meetings with Police, and drag racers to look at alternative legal options.

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