Bikers being associated with '˜criminal sub group'

At a meeting held at Tilsworth Golf Club on Saturday, January 23, Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner candidate Kathryn Holloway and Leighton’s MP Andrew Selous spoke about some of the problems residents were experiencing.

Mr Selous told the meeting that a constituent had recently complained of feeling deeply intimidated by a large group of bikers who parked up near the home she shares with her 15-year-old daughter before one knocked calmly on the door and offered to sell them drugs.

“It was for all the world like some sort of pizza delivery service to the door and the bikers should know that if this is the behaviour that becomes associated with their gatherings, their days are, rightfully, numbered,” said Mrs Holloway.

The meeting heard from residents who reported that the police are unable to pursue such individuals at speed because of the dangers to the bikers themselves.

Mrs Holloway, who saw the problems first hand recently when she rode along with the police, said: “That certainly bears out what I saw for myself and the acute frustration of the officers concerned when permission to pursue the teenager at speed was refused as he didn’t have the protection of a helmet.

“They didn’t give up for a moment though, trying first of all to see if he had parked up behind nearby industrial buildings and then issuing an alert to all surrounding units to watch for a safe opportunity to intercede when the biker had stopped.”

She claimed that up to 3,000 moped and quad bikers, very often going under the overall name ‘The Stunt Squad’ were gathering in large numbers and causing a noise nuisance for residents and risking their own lives by performing stunts, without wearing helmets on the open road in residential areas throughout the county.

She said: “I would favour finding a safe venue for the law-abiding element to enjoy their hobby, with safety marshalls and first aid to prevent the loss of a young life and in a county with both Santa Pod and the Millbrook test track this shouldn’t be impossible. But the bikers are increasingly attracting a criminal sub-group which means some meetings are more sinister.”

In recent months there have been reports of bikers racing around Parson Close Recreation Ground, Meadow Way, Astral Park and on pavements alongside the River Ouzel.

Last week the LBO reported how police are urging Bedfordshire residents plagued by moped and quad bikers to help them identify those responsible by sending in their videos and photos to a dedicated email [email protected].