Residents, councils, NSW Police, Transport for NSW and State Government agencies have joined forces against hoon driving, illegal street racing and excessive vehicle noise, agreeing that coordinated action across council boundaries is needed to protect communities from a problem that no single organisation can solve alone.
North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker convened the roundtable at North Sydney Council Chambers on Thursday 16 July, bringing together residents from the North Sydney, City of Sydney and Bayside local government areas with NSW Police, Transport for NSW, neighbouring councils and State Government agencies. The gathering recognised that hoon drivers cross council boundaries and that the response must too.
Mayor Baker said the roundtable was a response to a steady stream of reports from residents of revving engines, disrupted sleep and dangerous and antisocial driving, particularly late at night.
"At its core, this issue is about being able to enjoy your home, getting a good night's sleep, and feeling safe in your own neighbourhood," Mayor Baker said.
"For many residents, this is not an occasional disruption. It is something they are living with regularly. A small number of drivers are having a disproportionate impact on thousands of residents who simply want to enjoy peaceful, safe and liveable neighbourhoods.
"No single organisation can solve this alone. It sits across road management, environmental regulation, policing and community safety, and the roundtable showed what genuine partnership across government, councils and the community can look like."
