VILLAGERS blighted by anti-social motorcycles may be driven to take direct action says a parish chief.

People living along the A32 through the Meon Valley and the A272 east of Winchester are suffering worsening noise pollution from speeding bikers, many with illegal exhausts.

Chris Waller, chairman of West Meon Parish Council, warned: “Unless something is done you may get residents in West Meon blocking the A32 or going to Loomies cafe because they feel no-one is listening to them. People feel their lives are being blighted. It has been going on for years but it is getting worse because of the impunity there seems to be.

“People may start to do things and you can understand why,” he said.

Mr Waller said such action was unlikely but there will come a point when people aren’t being listened to and they will resort to things to draw attention such as happened at Southwick near Fareham.

Mr Waller was referring to action taken by local people to stop the village bypass being used as a racetrack. Cars and bikes were attacked and the police were called.

A petition in the Meon Valley, placed in shops in West Meon, Corhampton and Droxford, is attracting signatures.

Mr Waller said the police should concentrate on monitoring speed, not on the edge of the villages, but on the open stretches where bikers open the throttle and the worst noise pollution occurs.

He also wants to see the police taken more action over track exhausts being illegally used on the roads. “The police should go to Loomies and the bike shop in Alton and ask to look at bike exhausts. Then the message might start to get through.”

A meeting between parish council and police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes was held in May and Mr Waller a follow-up meeting will be arranged soon.

Mr Hayes has pledged £135,000 over two years to encourage the expansion of the Community SpeedWatch programme.

The funding is allocated to assist with the cost of setting up around 70 new schemes.

Mr Hayes said: “I want to encourage local residents to take positive action by setting up a Community SpeedWatch in their area. They can do this by volunteering and taking action on the roads of concern in their neighbourhood.”