THOUSANDS of pounds have been set aside for a potentially life-saving initiative to educate young people about dangerous driving and tackle the problem of so-called boy racers.

The £46,978 grant will provide training for 14 to 25-yearolds in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, where the Tesco supermarket has become a hotspot for the problem.

Called First Gear and On Two Wheels, the two-year project is funded by the Home Office and is being co-ordinated by the Newton Aycliffe Youth Development Team.

It is aims to teach people about responsible car and motorbike ownership and will include six day-long events attended by pupils from the town’s two secondary schools – Woodham and Greenfield.

Jenny Walton, youth development worker for Durham County Council’s One Point, said: “Young people will be challenged to examine their attitudes to owning and driving vehicles and provided with the skills to become safe and responsible drivers, riders, passengers and owners of vehicles. We understand that Tesco have had issues surrounding young people and their vehicle use, which have been the same as identified by the youth centre and the local community.

“The project aims to address these issues from a community involvement perspective, and will work with the local police and road safety teams, fire service, prison officers, youth workers and a local driving instructor to educate young people and highlight the dangers and consequences of their actions.”

Jack Braley, from Jack’s Driving School, in Newton Aycliffe, is helping to deliver the course.

He said: “Driving is great and young people love driving, it opens the world for them, but we just want to make sure they do it as safely as possible, have sense, control and a bit of responsibility.”