Plea for action on illegal moor bikers
RESIDENTS’ groups and councillors say action is needed to stop ‘mindless’ bikers illegally riding at high speeds over the borough’s moors causing destruction and degradation of the natural environment.
A coalition of community groups and police officers says the area has been plagued by off road bikes, quad bikes and adapted 4x4s for years, but lockdown has highlighted an urgent need to address the situation.
It is illegal under the Road Traffic Act 1988 to drive a motor vehicle on common land, moorland, any land not part of a road or on footpaths, bridleways or restricted byways.
Nigel Morrell, chairman of Norden Area Forum, said: “People have a legitimate right to use the area, but this sort of behaviour curtails it as a family resource.
“The police do their very best but the number and frequency of these people using the moor illegally simply overwhelms the resources.”
He said the peat moorland is degraded by biking activities, restricting the peat’s abilities to absorb CO2, and added: “Off road biking activity is also having a serious economic impact on those who make their living from grazing on the moor.
“Not only is grazing damaged and destroyed by the actives of the bikers, but on a number of recent occasions bikers have harassed pregnant cows and ewes to the point where livestock have been lost.”
Mr Morrell said that bikers coming to the moors were in many cases not from the borough - riders from as far afield as Liverpool, Wales and in one case Edinburgh have reportedly been apprehended on Rochdale moorland.
He added: “We’ve got lots of support from the council and our local police officers - United Utilities are very supportive in particular.
“There are no quick solutions, but working together we hope that we can find some answers.”
Spotland and Falinge councillor Faisal Rana said the ‘mindless’ behaviour of riders tearing through rural areas is ‘making life a misery’ for residents.
He said action was needed to protect ‘historical gems’ like the Prickshaw and Broadley Fold conservation area, a medieval hamlet at the foot of Rooley Moor, with bikers racing through the village at dangerous speeds.
Coun Rana said: “It’s been going on for years and has actually been made worse during the lockdown. More people have time on their hands and have been coming to the area for walks, parking indiscriminately and causing traffic obstructions.
“With all the additional walkers in the area and so much loose livestock roaming the land, it’s a wonder there hasn’t been a serious accident. The whole community is at their wits’ end.”
He called for ‘joined-up action’ after residents had formed an ‘off-road watch’ to report illegal bikers to police - who he said had been ‘very supportive,’ but were hampered by a lack of resources.
A representative of Rooley Moor Neighbourhood Forum chose to remain anonymous, saying they and other residents had faced ‘a torrent of abuse’ from bikers.
They said: “Bikers can go to Cowm Quarry in Whitworth and ride legally - but you have to pay a fee for it.
“They’re running through villages and down the bridleways here, frightening the sheep, cattle, horses, disturbing the moorlands, being abusive to people. The problem is getting worse because more people are finding out from social media.”
PC Phil Jones, neighbourhood police officer for Spotland and Falinge, said that whilst the problem had ‘absolutely got worse’ during lockdown, stretching of police resources also made it difficult for officers to conduct operations to intercept vehicles being driven illegally.
He said: “The number of reports of people not necessarily complying with the rules in place has increased during lockdown, and we have speculated as to why. Are more people at home and more in a position to report?”
He described the abuse residents had been subjected to by bikers as ‘awful,’ adding: “About two months ago a biker turned their bike on a member of the public who was trying to take a picture of the vehicle. It’s quite a nasty situation.
“We’re racking our brains all the time to try and stop these people tearing up the moors. The key to solving the problem is how can you stop them from getting on the moor? We’re doing that through signage deterring people and social media posts.
“We are doing everything we can to deter these people but it’s a slow process.”
PC Jones said that his unit hoped to hold a ‘day of action,’ apprehending and if appropriate - seizing vehicles flouting rules on use of the moor.
The coalition said they hoped to be able to work more closely with landowners on the moors to install physical obstructions to prevent unauthorised access to private land.