Sponsored by
Fresh call for police to put the brakes on A5s speeding bikers
Bikers can be doing 120 mph
A Heath and Reach man is demanding police action over the packs of motor-cyclists who use the A5 through Heath and Reach as a race track.
Peter Brackenbury, who lives in a cottage next to the busy trunk road, has regularly recorded bikers doing a record-busting 120mph and potentially lethal wheelies outside his home near the Sheep Lane Crossroads.
The bikers often get together in Milton Keynes at weekends, often through enthusiasts' websites, and ride a circuit down the A5 to Thorn Turn, right onto the Leighton Buzzard Bypass, onto the Stoke Hammond Bypass and back to MK. Their trips often make summer a misery for those living along the route.
Said Peter: "The police must do something about the bikers. Their behaviour, at times, is suicidal. How anyone hasn't been killed is more luck than judgement.
"We often see them over-taking each other doing wheelies. They use the road as a race track. Sometimes they come off the Flying Fox roundabout at full throttle doing nearly double the speed limit."
Mr Brackenbury said this week that he was disappointed that Beds Police would not take action over the biker menace.
In a letter to Inspector Matthew Thompson, of Beds roads policing department, he said: "I have been in contact with the other residents in and around the gyratory with Woburn Road/ Sheep Lane, together with the local council and all are disappointed with your lack of concern.
"I believe that you must be aware of the biker's total lack of concerns for themselves or other drivers utilising these roads. I appreciate that you are providing awareness sessions, however the small groups appear persistent offenders and would have no interest in your awareness sessions."
Insp Thompson said: "There is no evidence that the A5 is an accident hotspot."
He said patrols went out on two weekends last summer and that special bikers' events held last August and September were planned to ensure that the A5 was covered by the police motorcycles.
He said a survey in September showed speeding vehicles ranged from 7.30% to 13.37% of total traffic, with the speeds of 88,242 vehicles measured.
"The local Safer Neighbourhoods Team will be working alongside officers from Thames Valley Police to provide a presence in the area during the Moto GP, World Superbikes and British Superbike events during 2010.
This work will be aim at educating motorists on the safe use of the road network. Key routes such as the A5 will be patrolled by motorcycles from the Roads."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
