Hooning, burnouts St Kilda Melbourne: Pier Rd to be gated and locked at night

A POPULAR St Kilda street will be barricaded at night to stop hoons tearing along it following a surge in complaints to police.

GATES will be installed on a St Kilda street to stop hoons tearing along it following a surge in complaints to police.

The gates will be closed and locked at night, almost 18 months after police called for them on Pier Rd, at Beaconsfield Pde, to stop street racing and burnouts.

Pier Rd in St Kilda could be locked overnight to stop hoon drivers

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Port Phillip Inspector Jason Kelly said hooning was at its peak during warm weather, and police got numerous complaints about the reckless behaviour in the summer months.

Port Phillip Mayor Bernadene Voss this week confirmed gates would be installed before summer to stop “overnight unauthorised access at this major entry point” to the foreshore.

Cr Voss said the gates were part of a suite of measures being taken to improve public safety on Pier Rd thanks to a $100,000 from the State Government.

Bollards, ‘No Entry 12am to 5am’ signs and lighting will also be installed in the area under the Community Crime Prevention Program contribution.

The council has also splashed nearly $200,000 on landscape works at the northern end of St Kilda Promenade.

“This includes … new landscaped garden beds and bollards to control vehicle access and reduce bike rider conflicts with pedestrians,” she said.

Insp Kelly said he was pleased the council had taken action and police “look forward to having the gates in as soon as possible”.

Once installed, the gates will be locked every night between 11pm and 5am, in line with the council’s foreshore carparks.

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