Police focus on off-road bikes

MOTORCYCLES illegally ridden by young lads on Chamber Road, Oldham

A NEW specialist policing team will focus on tackling off-road bikers hitting the roads across Greater Manchester.

Safer Roads Targeting Team at Greater Manchester Police will be on hand for community officers if off-road bikes are being used illegally in their area, equipped with a fleet of on and off-road bikes and unmarked cars to help catch offenders.

As well as introducing the team, GMP is also launching a community "tool kit", giving people information on how they can help police and other agencies tackle the issue.

The tool kit will be readily available on the GMP website to all those who need it with details on what information police and their partners need to take action against those who ride off road bikes illegally.

Furthermore, it is designed to help tackle an issue that many say is top of the agenda for residents in some areas.

Chief Inspector Tariq Butt, who heads GMP's Road Policing Unit, said: "Off-road bikes being driven illegally are a big concern for us and also for people of Greater Manchester.

"This new team will help us tackle the issue as effectively as we possibly can, but the tool kit we've put together will also enable people to help us do this ­- we can all take responsibility four our communities and letting the appropriate authorities know what's happening in them.

"We need people to be active in looking after themselves and their neighbours and this tool kit gives people the information that they need to do this when it comes to off-road bikes."

The Safer Roads Targeting Team will consist of seven off-road bikes based at Eccles but covering the whole of Greater Manchester. You can view the tool kit at gmp.police.uk/reporting/offroadbikes.