Off-road bikes

Dear residents. 

The Nedge Safer Neighbourhood Team are receiving more and more reports about off-road bikes. Off-road bikes and quads can be a real nuisance and pose a danger to both the riders and the public. Unfortunately, there are several challenges we face when trying to deal with them effectively.

1. Pursuit Restrictions:

We’re not allowed to chase off-road bikes or quads if it would create a risk to the public or the rider. These vehicles are often ridden dangerously and without helmets or registration, and a pursuit could end in serious injury or worse.

2. Limited Identification:

Most of the time, the bikes aren’t road legal, they don’t have number plates, insurance, or even a known owner. This makes identifying and tracing the riders difficult.

3. Access to Off-Road Areas:

These bikes are often ridden in parks, fields, or alleyways where police vehicles can’t follow. By the time officers get there on foot or in patrol cars, the riders are usually long gone. Any sniff of police and they’re off. 

4. Community Intelligence:

We rely heavily on information from the public but it’s not always easy for residents to get clear descriptions or addresses, especially when the bikes are hidden away in gardens or sheds.

That said, we are not ignoring the issue. The Nedge SNT regularly patrol areas of concern, however, we only have a certain amount of time we can conduct patrols due to other work commitments and jobs. We also work with local councils, housing, and other partners to tackle this problem in the long term. We also carry out specific operations (Op Spree) targeting nuisance riders and any intelligence from the public really helps us build a case.

If you ever see anything, bike storage locations, regular times they’re out, or even names,  please do report it, even anonymously. The more information we have, the better our chances of acting on it safely and legally. Your concerns can also be sent to: opspree@westmercia.police.uk

Kind regards 

PCSO Claire Ellis 40420