Name and address supplied.
SIR. I am a Norbiton resident who lives near the Dickerage Road Recreation Ground. Over the past couple of months a handful of local teenagers have taken to tearing round this park on their trail bikes.
Apart from the noise being a real irritation it is also dangerous to dog walkers and other genuine users of the park such as my family and myself. I have complained to the police and have been treated somewhat indifferently. It was something I didn't want to actively pursue further as I was unsure that they were committing any real offence.
However after a little research it is apparent that under Section 29 of the Police Reform Act of 2002 any motor vehicle used in a careless manner on a road or ridden/driven off road i.e. a footpath, bridle path, common land, moor land, restricted byway and land which is not part of a road and is causing alarm, distress or annoyance to any members of the public commits an offence". Therefore these individuals are breaking the law.
Being a bank holiday weekend, these trail bike riders have been back three or four times a day. Now on a surer footing I have called Kingston Police Station on a number of occasions. I understand that they did eventually send an officer out to the park. Unfortunately he arrived at one of the few times when they weren't there. So now, when I've made futher calls, I tend to be treated as an irritation and a time waster.
I obviously have a vested interest in this as I am a local resident but at some point in the near future one of these bikes is going to come into contact with a child or a dog and cause them and the bike's rider considerable harm. Before this happens can the police please stop this illegal act? I see that just off the A3 on Ewell Road there is a purpose built scramble track. Why don't these youths go and use their bikes there?
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
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