POLICE have pledged to clampdown on pony and trap racing on a busy Bucks A-road that has long angered locals a regularly caused traffic chaos.

Horse and trap racing on the A413 near Chalfont St Peter and Denham has been a regular sight on the busy road, leading to complaints from residents and drivers as they faced queuing traffic held up by racers. 

Now Thames Valley Police has said “an escalation in the events” in the area could be caused by the enforcement response to horse and cart racing by police in Hampshire.

READ MORE: West Wycombe School pupils impress on Superhero Day

On October 21, Amersham area Police Sergeant Darren Walsh said: “The issue of pony and trap racing on the A413 in Chalfont St Peter and Denham has long been a community concern.

“With limited resources, we have expedited our response to reports of this nature, and have dealt with traffic offences to deter the behaviour, through prosecution.

“There is however, an escalation in the events from a couple of traps being followed by a couple of cars to large scale events with hundreds of people attending in multiple cars causing chaos to the roads: such as what occurred at the start of October.

“This has been a big problem in Hampshire and I suspect that their resource intensive response is moving the problem to our area.”

The latest incident on October 23 saw Thames Valley Police teams join to stop pony and trap racing on the A413 because of 'road safety issues and driving offences committed while the races take place'.

Despite heavy rain, several people had arrived to prepare to race.

After police intervened, the race was abandoned and “crowds dispersed of their own accord,” the force said.

The use of A413 as race course can’t be solved "at a local level and I have raised this issue, which will be reviewed," Sgt Walsh said.

He added: “We do need to be intelligence-led on such events, to afford us the opportunity to coordinate our staff.

“As nice as it is to have lots of officers on standby just in case, we must remember that this has a huge knock on effect by taking police away from their home stations, reducing the officers available to attend reported crimes, and stopping them from being able to progress enquiries."

READ MORE: Chesham fly-tip plagues residents for months

The force was in contact with Buckinghamshire Council’s Traffic Management team to see “if this problem could be designed out,” Sgt Walsh added.