Following discussions in a recent community meeting, officers took part in an operation this week to address concerns raised in relation to the anti-social use of off-road motorbikes in the area of North Halifax including Mixenden, Ovenden and Wainstalls.
As part of a multi-agency operation, officers from Halifax’s Neighbourhood Policing Team were joined by Calderdale Council’s Community Safety Wardens, Yorkshire Water representatives, and local Landowners in a two-day operation to crack down on nuisance off-road bikers.
The two-day operation took place this week, on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 October.
NPT Team 1 carried out a warrant at an address in Mixenden, where officers made three arrests and seized eight motorbikes, believed to have been stolen.
Work was also carried out with local landowners and Yorkshire Water to identify the accessibility of areas where the bikes are being illegally used and any weak spots where measures can be put in place.
With support of the Council Community Safety Wardens, the team were able to establish which areas of the community are seeing the effects of antisocial use of these vehicles and reached out to local residents to offer support and advice.
Sergeant Joshua Allgood of Halifax Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“We are aware of the concerns raised by local residents and the issues off road bikes have been causing in the area.
“Not only are the bikes causing a nuisance, they are also a safety risk, especially when they are not driven responsibly. They can also cause unnecessary damage to people’s property and can cause distress and harm to livestock.
“I would remind those who think they can ride illegally that they risk having their bike seized, points on their licence and a prosecution.
“These operations reiterate our commitment to tackling the issue.
“Anyone who has information about illegal off-road biking in their community is encouraged to contact their local neighbourhood policing team by calling 101 or via the 101LiveChat function on the website.”
Gaynor Craigie, Head of Land and Property at Yorkshire Water, said:
“We take our responsibilities as a large landowner in Yorkshire seriously and we want people to be able to enjoy our sites safely. Our customers have made us aware of the illegal use of off-road motorbikes at Mixenden reservoir and hope this police operation will reduce the number of incidents.
“We urge anyone visiting reservoir sites around Halifax to follow the Countryside Code, be considerate of other people and leave our sites as you found them so everyone can continue to enjoy them.”
Cllr Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said:
“Working with our partner organisations in the Calderdale Community Safety Partnership, we want everyone in Calderdale to feel safe and protected at all times, and to have the best possible quality of life.
“Anti-social behaviour, such as nuisance off-road biking, can have a major impact on the quality of life for people and animals, and we don’t hesitate to take action against offenders.
“Our Community Protection Team is always ready to respond to any anti-social behaviour issues, and we encourage people to report their concerns on our website, www.calderdale.gov.uk(external link).”