United front to tackle off-road bike menaces
Bings being used as scrambling tracks
Broxburn has had enough of being used as a scrambling track by bikers.
After years of noise and disturbance from motorcycles using bings at Greendykes and Winchburgh, local people have teamed up to put a stop to it.
Backed by local businesses, landowners and police, a new working partnership with representatives has been formed after meetings this summer.
At this month’s meeting of West Lothian Council’s executive, Councillor Janet Campbell called on all four local councillors – two SNP, one Labour and one Conservative – to join the partnership.
Councillor Campbell, recently elected as SNP group leader, said: “Anti-social behaviour on the bings, specifically the use of off- road motorcycles causing gross noise disturbance has been an issue since I was elected.
“It has really gone through the roof during the lockdown in terms of the multitudes of people using the bings for off-road motorcycle activity – it was happening on a daily basis and sometimes literally from dawn to dusk.”
The bings feature on social media attracting dirt-track bikers from across Scotland and the north of England.
The new partnership includes representatives of Historic Scotland – Greendykes is a scheduled monument – Police Scotland, Hopetoun Estates and other local landowners.
The acting chairperson is local resident Deirdra Baker.
In a report to the council executive, Craig McCorriston, head of planning, said the working group had invited the council to participate.
He added: ” The invitation does not provide any details concerning the structure of the group or its remit and it will be important that these, and the extent of the problems, are established in order to ensure effective involvement from the council.
“If council executive agrees that the council should participate in the group these matters can be raised and addressed, along with the representation the group considers is appropriate.”
Mr McCorr iston’s report continued: “It should be noted that the council will have two distinct roles in relation to management of the bing.
“Firstly, it has a role as landowner of part of the bing and secondly it has a role as regulator of activities on and around the bing.
“It will be important to ensure that these distinct roles, and relevant legal rules and restrictions, are clearly understood in any partnership working arrangements.
“Finally, issues related to the bing will continue to be a ward matter and the council’s Officer/Member Protocol will continue to apply.
“Unless formally appointed by the council it will be for local members to decide if they will participate in the group.”
An amendment proposed by Councillor Campbell to invite all local members on to the working group was defeated in a vote by the executive.