NEW demands have been made to clamp down on an ‘escape route’ for troublemakers at Littlemoor in Weymouth.

Pensioner Clifford Cripps warned of problems in the Finches since a new footpath was created as part of the £89million relief road scheme.

The path leads to bridleways, which go over a road bridge into the other half of the Littlemoor estate and to land near the railway station.

Mr Cripps warned that the new ‘rat run’ gave vandals an easy access in and out.

Mr Cripps said: “With the construction of a new footpath, constructed over unregistered land and joining the newly constructed bridleway, this has become an escape route for vandals and criminals.”

Mr Cripps added: “Vehicles have been vandalised and torched, homes and sheds have been broken into and valuables stolen.”

Mr Cripps said that one solution was to block off the footpath but he thought that it would cause too much upset for people who legitimately use the path.

He added: “CCTV would be the best option.

“At the moment it is a rat run for vandals.”

Last December a car was set alight in the Finches.

Police have made a series of arrests to clamp down on car crime, arson, drugs and antisocial behaviour in the Littlemoor area over the past year.

Borough and county councillor for Littlemoor Mark Tewkesbury said: “I personally have worked very hard with Dorset Police and I can see things going on in the area are reducing antisocial behaviour.

“It is not perfect but CCTV could be an option. It is all down to funding.”

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council said that it and other organisations had been focusing on tackling anti-social behaviour at Littlemoor.

Community safety spokesman Geoff Petherick said: “Permanent CCTV is expensive to purchase and maintain and is something more commonly used in town centres.

“The borough council does however have a mobile CCTV unit, and we will explore the situation to see if this option would be appropriate.”

Residents are invited to have their say about issues at Littlemoor at the next Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting this Wednesday.

Coun Mark Tewkesbury said numbers had fallen at previous meetings.

People can tell police and other agencies any issue of concern at the meeting and an action plan will be drawn up to tackle priority problems.

The meeting is at Bincombe Court, Littlemoor, at 7.30pm.