Cllr Glenn Goodall, local residents, and myself collecting petition signatures calling for action to tackle mini-moto nuisance, Bede Walk, 2008
Mini-motos being ridden recklessly by youngsters on roads and pavements have long been a real nuisance in parts of Reading.
These bikes and larger motorbikes present a real danger to both the youngsters riding them and pedestrians - as has been proved by the accidents - some fatal - that have sadly taken place in South Reading in recent years.
Here in Redlands we have received a number of complaints over the years about kids on mini-motos riding around Hexham Rd estate to and from Longbarn Lane and Staverton Road.
I have seen them being ridden with my own eyes. I've sometimes seen parents encouraging youngsters to ride these bikes which is pretty shocking. I have reported problems like this to the Police whenever I have seen them.
I first blogged about the need for a better response from the Police and the Council last March.
My Lib Dem colleagues in Katesgrove have also lobbied for more action to deal with this problem.
Bede Walk off Northumberland Avenue was a particular hot-spot for mini-moto-related nuisance - partly due to the layout of the footpath which enabled youngsters to whizz up and down unseen from the Police etc.
Residents from this area contacted me out of desperation.
They told me they were reporting problems but getting nowhere.
Police refused to attend the scene and it is TVP policy not to pursue kids riding these bikes for fear of accidetnts.
it seemed to me, when I pursued the issue with the authorities that neither the Police nor the Council wanted to take responsibility for doing something about this problem, as is often the case with anti-social behaviour.
Anyway, after initial reports we continued to get complaints about problems with motorbikes from residents throughout last year.
I sent countless emails and asked questions to Council and still nothing seemed to happen.
So, last year we launched a petition...
As a result we suceeded in winning funding for anti-cycle barriers last June to stop people speeding down the footpath on Bede Walk. It took a while for the Council to get the barriers installed in the right location etc but residents have since reported that the barriers has significantly reduced the number of bikes using the Walk.
However, mini-motos are still being ridden around Whitley and those riding them have managed to evade the Police and the Council's ASB teams.
One of the main problems has been that local residents have given up reporting sightings of mini-motos and motrobikes in many areas due to the lack of response they got from the authorities.
Residents did report the issue and tried to give as much information as they could to officers.
However, residents felt they were not being taken seriously or being listened to by the Council or the Police, so they gradually stopped reporting.
In addition to raising a petition, I got a group of residents who were angry about this from Bede Walk to join me in raising the problem of mini-motos directly with officers at Neighbourhood Action Group and Safer Reading Campaign meetings.
This resulted in press coverage too.
This campaign culminated with us raising this issue with senior Police officers on a visit to one of the Thames Valley Police call centres in January of this year.
During the visit we discovered that part of the problem was that the Council and the Police were collecting different data, via different phone numbers: the result was chaos - calls by residents were not being properly tracked or responded too.
Well, I'm pleased to say that after years of campaigning by the Lib Dems the Labour-run Council has today announced a new initiative to tackle this nuisance.
Apparently this problem is now the "top priority" of the Council's Anti-Social Behaviour team this summer.
This is surely an admission that it really wasn't a priority before (!)
(From the Council's press release):
"These reckless drivers can cause misery to local residents through noise nuisance and cause havoc by driving them in parks and on footpaths.
The Safer Reading Partnership would encourage anyone suffering antisocial behaviour to ring the Police non-emergency number – 0845 8 505 505 – to report any incidents, giving as much detail as possible.
They will work with residents and Neighbourhood Police teams to gather evidence and then use a range of powers to curb the behaviour. These antisocial drivers could receive points on their licence (even if they haven't yet got one), face a driving ban, a fine or even have their vehicles crushed.
If the nuisance continues Safer Reading can also apply for an Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO) to prevent the offenders from entering an area or riding the vehicle.
The law is clear and these vehicles must not be driven on footpaths, cycle routes or public land and parks.
The rider must hold an appropriate and valid driving licence, and be insured for the vehicle. An appropriate helmet must also be worn (quad bikes are exempt but it is advisable to wear one)."
All good stuff, but we have been saying this for ages.
It saddens me that it took the Labour-run Council so long to listen to residents affected and to prioritise this issue.
Residents have been putting up with this problem in parts of Reading for years and the response from the Council and the Police has not inspired confidence.
I asked the Council's press office when the last time such an initiative was undertaken by the Council and I got the reply "2006".
Once again the response from Reading's Labour-run Council is too little too late.
To all residents reading this: please do report any sightings of motorbikes to the Police on the non-emergency number: 0845 8 505 505.
I would be very interested in the response you receive to reports: send me an email and let me know how you get on.