Residents Not Convinced

Councillor Phil Bateman said "There are always problems to be solved, nothing different in that but at Wednesday night's Ashmore Park Police Liaison Committee Meeting I sensed that there was a frustration with the police about the perennial problem of 'off-road' motorbikes ripping around the 'green' parts of the estate and also along the canal tow-paths."

The frustration is that despite residents keeping a detailed diary of events, and informing the meeting that he had recorded 32 offences over a 10 week period behind his home. No officers had physically inspected the detail and the descriptions he had entered.

During the debate on this subject it became known to the meeting that the police 'scramblers' had not been operational for some 6 weeks due to mechanical problems. Residents spoke to me after the meeting and there was clear frustration about what was a re-occurring problem.

I personally have some sympathy for the police force as I know that last summer they worked hard to bring this issue under control seizing several bikes and destroying them. Back in February I reported on the nuisance of bikes being used illegally, as residents in Whitehouse Avenue & Rocester Road had reported issues to me.

I am due to meet senior officers and I will once again raise this issue with them at that meeting."