Distressed residents, feeling neglected by authorities, recently reached out to our colleagues from RTL.lu, expressing their concerns about the situation. Representatives of the tuning group, which regularly convenes there, also distanced themselves from the illegal races.
Following the RTL.lu article, the police conducted an extensive check at the tuning meeting in Contern over the weekend, deploying 29 officers for the operation. On Tuesday, the municipality of Contern itself took action to tackle the problem and announced the installation of eight speed bumps to calm traffic.
Mayor Marion Zovilé-Braquet clarified to our colleagues from RTL.lu that the municipality had been working on a solution for some time. She explained that, years ago, there was a big meeting with the police and the companies working in the industrial zone to find a solution to the problem.
According to the mayor, one of the companies, which has a large car park that is frequently used by the tuners, was supposed to put up a barrier, but this has not happened to date, despite repeated follow-up requests from the municipality. The local authorities finally decided to take action themselves and put up the speed bumps.
The mayor acknowledged that this measure may inconvenience people working or shopping in the area, but it was deemed necessary to address the speeding issue.
Zovilé-Braquet mentioned that the latest police operation, which had been planned for some time, was coordinated during the most recent meeting with the police. However, the mayor admits that it did not yield significant changes, as a similar situation occurred at the same place the following evening.
The mayor clarified that she personally does not hold any animosity towards the people who gather at the industrial zone for tuning events. Most of the tuning fans from neighbouring countries are friendly, engaging in discussions and enjoying the cars on display, according to the mayor, who personally went to these meetings several times to get an idea of what was happening there.
However, a few individuals exhibit reckless behaviour, making excessive noise or engaging in dangerous manoeuvres. Such incidents have raised concerns, including instances where tuners allegedly drove recklessly through local roundabouts without license plates to avoid detection.
The mayor also stressed that it is not just residents living near the industrial zone who have reported the disturbance caused by the noisy activities. At times, the noise is said to even reach neighbouring communes like Sandweiler.
The municipality is now hopeful that the installation of speed bumps will have a positive impact. It remains to be seen if the meetings will be relocated to another location inside or outside the industrial zone. Some suggest the possibility of creating a separate infrastructure where enthusiasts can pursue their hobby or sport without disrupting or endangering residents through excessive noise or dangerous driving.
