The fight against nuisance bikes is continuing after a recent campaign saw a number of offenders caught and reprimanded.

The recent initiative, involving Bolsover District Council, the Police and Derbyshire County Council, concentrated on a wide area in the villages of Tibshelf, Newton and Blackwell. A number of people were successfully caught using nuisance bikes particularly around the Fordbridge Lane Trail area where a significant amount of damage has been done to the trail entrance.

One of the users made off on the Main Road towards South Normanton but two others where identified and later found hiding in the undergrowth alongside their off road bikes in the hopes of avoiding detection.

Both were issued with Police Section 59 Warning Notices and cautioned for traffic offences, meaning that if they continue to use the vehicle in the same way on any other occasions a uniformed Police Officer can seize the vehicle under appropriate powers.

On a separate occasion the rider of a mini moto was seen on Garden Avenue in Shirebrook riding recklessly and after being spotted he subsequently made off along Park Road discarding his bike in front of an approaching double-decker bus and ran away into a nearby side street.

Shirebrook PCSO Steve Cathcart subsequently identified the driver of the bike and the owner and as a consequence of the information both persons were arrested and charged with a number of road traffic violations.

Bolsover District Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Brian Murray-Carr said, “More often than not, the state of these vehicles is very poor and ridden in a reckless manner, causing danger to themselves and the public. We know where these vehicles are being ridden and we will continue to target these areas. However, we would appeal to members of the public to inform us, in confidence, of where nuisance bikes are in use.

“I would also make an appeal to parents who may be thinking of buying mini motos or off road pit bikes to think again bearing in mind the dangers of such activities. The fact that it is illegal other than on private land with the owners permission to ride such machines and in view of the most recent fatality involving an eight year old which was widely published in the national press.  Please help us to tackle the nuisance bike problems.”

To report any incidents involving mini moto’s or nuisance vehicles please visit the Anti-Social Behaviour pages on Safer Derbyshire