GAZETTE & HERALD: BOY racers who tear around the ground floor of Chippenham's Emery Gate car park have forced North Wiltshire District Council to close it overnight.

It is hoped the move will prevent anti-social behaviour in the area after residents as far away as Monkton Park complained to police about the noise.

From Monday the underground section of the car park will be blocked by barriers between 8pm and 6am.

Sergeant Matt Armstrong of Chippenham police said drivers of upwards of 30 vehicles congregated in the car park, playing loud music and spinning their wheels.

"It tends to be a meeting place in the evenings. A lot of the time they just need somewhere dry to meet, but there are a small few that ruin that," he said. "The council has decided to close it with our support."

Sgt Armstrong said the car park acted as a sounding board, projecting noise towards Monkton Park.

Eighteen months ago vandals targeted the car park's lighting and camera systems, which had to be replaced at a cost of several thousand pounds.

"Closing it seemed like the best solution," said Sgt Armstrong.

He said if youths continued to meet there, playing classical music through loudspeakers was a possible deterrent.

"Those who don't want to listen to it will move on," he explained. "It's another option available and has proven to be effective in other areas."

Richard Taylor, of the Friends of Monkton Park, said he regularly heard shouting and other noise emanating from the car park at night.

Mr Taylor, who lives at Sadlers Mead, said residents were keen to know if closing the ground floor would be a solution.

"We are all anxious to know what's going to happen, and we think the council has done the right thing," he said. "Let's just hope that it doesn't transfer the problem elsewhere. We shall be watching with great interest over the coming weeks."

Coun Ross Henning, North Wiltshire's lead member for car parking, said: "Over the last few years there have been thousands of pounds worth of damage caused to the Emery Gate car park by mindless vandals.

"The car park has also been used on several occasions by groups racing around causing a danger to themselves and other car park users.

"We have listened to the concerns of residents and after discussions with the police and our own community safety officers we have decided to take positive action to prevent any further trouble in the car park area.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but we are taking this action to secure the car park overnight."

Motorists are being warned that there will be a call out charge of £30 to remove vehicles that have been stranded behind the barriers.