Several people in Chesham have claimed that the town has become ‘so unsafe’ following recent incidents of anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving in the town.

Taking to the OurChesham Facebook page, a handful of residents have claimed that their children have been ‘screamed at’ by teenagers and that someone will be ‘run over’ due to the excessive speed that some motorists are hitting.

This comes after data given to the Free Press back in the spring revealed that 1,441 separate crimes were reported in the town between 2022 and 2023.

Most of them were related to violence, sexual offences and incidents related to vehicles.

One concerned resident said: “When has Chesham become so unsafe?

“My son had been very busy this holiday before his GCSEs.

“He’s ran in Tenerife, Oxford and Mexico, [had] no anxiety he has loved it.

“He’s felt safe everywhere.

“Came home to Chesham and his anxiety is through the roof and these last six weeks have woken me up.

“My son doesn’t fell safe in his own home town and would rather run in countries he doesn’t know.

“In Chesham, he has the Chesham teenagers screaming at him, starting fights, because he’s training to make his wish of going to the Olympics come true.

“He runs with music on, yet these teens step in from of him and cause issues.

“Is this what has become of Chesham?

A 15-year-old boy can’t go for an hour a run without fears other teenagers won’t start on him?!

Another resident commented on the driving situation.

It has been alleged by numerous locals that many motorists drive along St Mary’s Way at ‘some speed’ with pop and bang exhaust systems, causing ‘mayhem’ for those in the area.

One person said: “I’ve witnessed three car chases in the last two weeks, tearing up from the town and then down Penn Avenue, Chapmans Crescent, Darvell Drive and off up the country lane at the end of Asheridge Road.

“Someone is  going to get seriously injured or worse, I hate seeing it.

“I’m fed up with listening to it late at night as well, it does need sorting out.

“Chesham itself has turned into some kind of crazy race loop, I have no idea why this is an escalating problem, it just seems to get worse and worse.”

Another added: “People have been concerned about this for months and still nothing is done, nothing is ever done about anything, things just go from bad to worse, no police, no action, no consequences and so it continues.”

Hazel Hopkinson, who runs the soon-to-be-closed arts and crafts shop, Blue Haze in the town, admitted that whilst he hasn’t seen any anti-social behaviour in the area, she is ‘fully aware’ of the driving issues.

She said: “I’m a petrolhead so I love cars, but there is a point where what they’re doing is not acceptable.

“Especially on residential streets.

“It’s annoying when they wake us up so it’s rather loud at something like one in the morning.”