Police need to crack down on out-of-town "hoons" causing problems in the Wollongong CBD, according to Paul Scully.
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The Wollongong MP is looking for police to crackdown on hoons speeding and revving engines in the lower CBD area around Burelli and Corrimal streets - where he had received complaints from residents.
"It's where there's been the growth in residential living, which has exacerbated it," Mr Scully said.
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"I think there's an echoing effect as well from vehicles that are very noisy and seem to be excessively noisy in amongst those multi-storey buildings."
He wants Wollongong Police and the Environment Protection Authority to launch a high-profile enforcement operation in the CBD area - which he said had not taken place in the last five years.
"This was something that was supposed to take place prior to COVID," Mr Scully said.
"There was a plan for an operation to take place, around vehicle noise particularly.
"Obviously for reasons associated with COVID it couldn't take place at that time but I think now it's time that the police look at doing that when they can."
The Wollongong foreshore had historically had issues with car enthusiasts gathering along Cliff Road and Marine Drive, sometimes pouring oil on the road for burnouts.
But Mr Scully said he hadn't received any complaints about such dangerous manoeuvres in the CBD.
The Wollongong MP also said the problem lay with visiting "hoons" and not local drivers.
"My bottom line is that people who are doing the right thing have nothing to worry about from this, but people who are coming into Wollongong and not doing the right thing, they should be held to account," he said.
"I owned a modified vehicle myself when I was younger and I was always frustrated that people who were doing the wrong thing were giving everyone a bad name."
Inspector Lee Ingmire from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said there were regular operations in the Wollongong area targeting drink, drug and distracted driving.
"Police are aware of the ongoing issues in relation to excessive motor vehicle noise and hoon-like behaviour within Wollongong CBD and have conducted a number of operations in recent times," Insp Ingmire said. "We are committed to conducting further operations in the near future focusing on education, deterrence and enforcement."