Lib-Dem councillors seek new strategy to deal with illegal off-road bikes

Illegal off-road bikes cause numerous headaches for residents

Liberal Democrat councillors have written to Oldham District Commander Phil Hutchison to demand a targeted strategy from Greater Manchester Police to deal with off-road bikes being used illegally.

Concerns include riders being part of drug-dealing, antisocial behaviour, vandalization and threatening behaviour towards local residents.

While councillors have continued to ask residents to report incidents using 101 and online at gmp.police.uk, ongoing illegal behaviour has not been stopped, and Oldham's Liberal Democrats want more to be done to deal with the issue.

Saddleworth West and Lees Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani said: “We are getting almost daily reports of this behaviour, and all too often people have given up reporting it to the police as they are not getting a response.

“Just one example is the linear park which runs through Grotton and Springhead has had barriers removed to make it accessible for people in wheelchairs, but this means it has been targeted by illegal bikers.

"Local residents are kept up at night by roaring engines, and don’t get to take advantage of their beautiful environment because they are threatened and intimidated by bikers.”

The letter asks GMP to meet with the councillors to discuss the approach that they will be taking and how they will deal with the issue.

Councillor Al-Hamdani added: “When people don’t feel like their reports are being taken seriously, it undermines confidence in the police as a whole.

"People have to know that something is being done.

“Having spoken to councillors across the whole of Oldham, and in neighbouring boroughs, this is an issue for everyone.

"If it isn’t dealt with, then criminals are emboldened to get away with worse, law-abiding bikers get a bad name, and residents feel like no-one cares.

“We do care, and that’s why we want GMP to have an organised approach to get something done about this."

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