TORMENTED residents living close to an Enniskillen car park where large groups of ‘boy racers’ gather frequently say they are having to endure sleepless nights due to the loud noise being generated by the souped-up cars.

The residents from Fairview Avenue, located across the road from Quay Lane car park, are now calling for it to be closed off at night in order to bring their misery to an end. They also believe that an increased police presence is required at night.

Oliver Beattie, who has lived in Fairview Avenue for around 17 or 18 years, told the Impartial Reporter that the so-called ‘boy racers’ had been congregating in the nearby car park for as long as he can remember. Mr. Beattie claimed that, on some evenings, they begin gathering at around 6.30pm or 7pm and there could be between 20 or 30 cars “flying about”.

He said that the residents would have “no problem” if the car enthusiasts just sat in their vehicles and had a chat. But, instead, the people living in Fairview Avenue, many of whom are elderly or families with young children, are being kept awake at night by the sounds of revving engines into the early hours of the morning. Mr. Beattie said: “Sometimes they go into a chorus of dooting their horns. If one starts, they all start.

“This can go on any time between 6pm until 5am or 6am in the morning.”

He claimed that the problem was worse at the weekends, adding that Wednesday was also a “bad night”.

Mr. Beattie revealed that, a couple of years ago, Council staff had placed a noise meter in one of the houses.

“The sound picked up from inside the house was equivalent to having a petrol lawn mower in your sitting room,” he said.

And the residents claim that it is not just the ‘boy racers’ that are keeping them awake.

The sounds of Council sweeping machines clearing up the mounds of rubbish left behind, sometimes as early as 5.30am or 6am, are also preventing them from getting a good night’s sleep.

Expressing her frustration, another resident, Maggie Davern, said: “They’re picking up the litter, but they’re not doing anything about the rallying. I said to one of the Councillors that litter doesn’t make much noise.”

Over the years, the residents say they have had various meetings with the PSNI, Council staff and local Councillors. Most recently, they met with local MP, Michelle Gildernew, around two weeks ago.

Mr. Beattie said: “Everything just seems to fall on deaf ears. As far as we are concerned, there needs to be more drastic action.” In response, a spokesperson for Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said it had facilitated meetings with key stakeholders to identify practical solutions to address anti-social behaviour and manage traffic in the area.

The spokesperson added: “The times that sweepers operate vary due to operational requirements, however this must be undertaken before the car park is filled with vehicles. The Council endeavours where possible to cleanse the car park after 7am to reduce noise nuisance to the local residents.”

PSNI Inspector, Rory Hoy, said that a number of other agencies, including police, had met on a number of occasions to work together to resolve this “long-standing” issue and had been working collectively to address the problem.

 He added: “Police are aware of the negative impact that this type of activity can have on the local community and other road users.” Meanwhile, it is understood that a delegation from Sinn Féin, including local Councillors and Michelle Gildernew MP, is currently seeking a meeting with the PSNI, where they plan to raise the concerns of the residents among other issues. “Residents will be advised once a date has been agreed and will be kept informed of progress,” a spokesperson for the party said.