The blight of off-road bikes in County Durham communities is “horrifically difficult to tackle”, worried locals have been told. Tackling anti-social behaviour has been pinpointed as one of the three main priorities across the region by local councils.
A Safer and Stronger Communities committee meeting on Tuesday was informed that hate crime, along with violence and sexual offences, have also been highlighted as key areas of concern, as part of the Safe Durham Partnership.
Councillors from all over the county spoke about the impact nuisance off-road bikers are having on communities, from the constant disruption and damage to public spaces.
Cllr Liz Maddison, of Spennymoor ward, said: “Off-road bikes are causing a nuisance in the town and also the wooded areas. They seem to ignore any requests to stop, especially in the woodland. They are churning the paths up and they are becoming mud tracks.”
“What enforcement can we introduce in the woodland to stop the bikes from destroying the countryside and habitats? “.
The Independent member’s concerns were echoed by cllr Lucy Hovvels, of Trimdon and Thornley, but she warned that residents are now less likely to report every incident. “Less and less people are coming forward,” she said.
“There seems to be an acceptance in communities now.”
The unlawful use of off-road bikes has progressively worsened within the community, a point stressed by Cllr Hovvels. She revealed that local football matches were forced to be cancelled on Sunday after the Ludworth playing field was shredded by bike tires.
Despite spending the bulk of her councillor allowance on curbing anti-social behaviour within the community, she admits it’s not sufficient.
In discussion about the financial impact on public funds, Cllr Hovvels stated: “How much has it cost this council to repair the criminal damage and how much is it costing the authorities in time and resources to address the problem? All that money is being spent and yet we’re still draining council resources and finances to tackle the issue.”
Highlighting just how prevalent the issue has become, Superintendent Neal Bickford conceded that dealing with the off-road bike problem is “horrifically difficult to tackle”.
Spt Bickford further explained: “We have tried an awful lot of things. If anyone thinks it’s simple then, politely, you don’t understand the problem.I would invite anybody who thinks there’s something that we haven’t tried to get in touch because I’m very open to that challenge. I absolutely understand the frustration.”
It was revealed at the meeting that in County Durham in 2023, anti-social behaviour came second only to violence and sexual offences as the most frequently reported crime. The rate of 15.7 incidents per 1,000 people is less than the rest of the North East but surpasses the national average of England.
The conclusion drawn from the meeting was the need for superior education and comprehension regarding the illegal practice of off-road biking.
Supt Bickford added: “It’s our residents’ parents who are buying those bikes and facilitating it. We need everybodies support in addressing [the issue]. We have a very polarised society with people who think it’s absolutely fine.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/they-churning-paths-up-concerns-29056587
