Mansfield District Council and Police team up to stamp out Illegal Biking.

Councillors Richard Tempest-Mitchell and Sharon Harsthorn met with MDC Officer Gary Noble and Police Sgt Kate Long to formulate a plan to try to end illegal and nuisance motor cycles causing mayhem and nuisance across Mansfield.

Supported by several other councillors both MDC and NCC, the Illegal Bikes Working Group were pulled together by Councillors Tempest-Mitchell and Sharon Hartshon and met at South Mansfield Community Centre where Tempest-Mitchell is the new Chairman.

Learning lessons from the recent successful operation in the Pleasley and Radmanthwaite, organised by Gary Noble of MDC Community Safety Partnership, on request of Cllrs Hartshorn and Alan Bell the group aims to collate intelligence and information on illegal biking and in conjunction with Nottinghamshire Police deal with the issues.

Councillor Hartshorn explained. ‘We had a significant problem with illegal bikers in Pleasley , Radmanthwaite and across Sherwood Ward. This also spreads to Pleasley Vale and throughout the area. It is a blight on residents' safety and enjoyment of their homes and the countryside.

‘The operation we ran recently was successful as the police dealt with offenders, issued orders for them to cease riding on public land and also have the power to seize bikes. We have reduced the problems drastically in my Ward and beyond’.

Of the future Operation, Councillor Tempest-Mitchell, a former police officer, commented, ‘Illegal and dangerous biking has clearly been a long time problem across Mansfield and indeed across the country.’.

‘This is a significant and dangerous problem in South and Mansfield East. My residents in Lindhurst have had enough and we intend to stamp it out if we can.’.

‘With the help of the residents in the different communities, we aim to deal with the offenders and reduce the problems caused. This will be an intelligence led operation.’.

Residents in the worst hit areas will soon receive letters explaining that if they are aware of the problems and know of offenders, they will be asked to confidentially pass on intelligence and information, including names, addresses, bike details and photos or video footage.

Evidence will be collated and processed confidentially by MDC and Nottinghamshire Police.

Anyone with any information regarding bikers, names, addresses and footage is asked to submit it confidentially to the police and MDC online reporting pages.

Nottinghamshire Police Online Reporting portal can be found at

https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/do-it-online/report-online

MDC Reporting Portal is at : https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/xfp/form/282

Councillor Tempest-Mitchell concluded. ‘This is just the start of our battle with illegal bikers. We will use the law in a multitude of ways to ensure that Offenders know they will lose their bikes, licences and in some cases potentially have restrictions on their council homes imposed.

‘Residents are being asked to help us to help them, by confidentially providing names, addresses and evidence. That is how this major problem will be dealt with.’.