New programme to tackle illegal off-road motorbike riding

Illegal off-road motorbike riding is to be tackled in Walsall through an innovative programme aimed at taking young people off the streets in the evenings and cutting anti-social behaviour.

Scrambling sessions are being run at Frank F Harrison Community Association (CA) using funding from the West Midlands Criminal Justice Board Community Cash Back scheme. Cash Back gives residents a say in how assets recovered from criminals can be used locally.

The CA has been awarded £17,814 to buy mobile floodlighting enabling sessions to be run during the evening at Harrison Motor Cross Park - the only facility of its kind in the borough. In addition, Walsall Housing Group (whg) has contributed £9,000 to buy five new motorbikes and protective equipment from the VIEW Community Chest fund.

VIEW is a regeneration fund jointly managed by whg and Walsall Council funded by VAT repayments from major works.

Julie Haywood, whg's Regeneration Manager, said: "This project was seen as an excellent diversionary activity for young people and is exactly the kind of scheme the VIEW Community Chest was set up to support in order to help bring about improvements to neighbourhoods across the Walsall borough."

The programme will be targeted at young people involved in illegal off-road riding and will be used to both educate them about the dangers involved and provide them with a safe venue to undertake the activity. People can be referred to the programme by a range of agencies including the police and Safer Walsall Partnership.

Bruce Bennett, development manager at Frank F Harrison CA, said: "The programme is to be seen as a reward and privilege for young people participating by making an otherwise expensive activity accessible to the young people of Walsall.

"Should young people who are referred on to the programme persist in offending behaviours they will be excluded from the project and dealt with through the criminal justice system."

Research shows young people are more likely to become involved in anti-social behavour in the evenings, often blaming a lack of organised activities for their behaviour.

Safer Walsall Partnership is one of the organisations supporting the scheme. It is made up of various agencies working together to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough. Members include Walsall Council, West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service, whg, NHS Walsall and New Horizons.

Councillor Garry Perry, chair of Safer Walsall Partnership, said: "Illegal off-road motorbike riding is something which we know is of great concern to residents in a number of areas across the borough.

"This project gives them the chance to take part in the activity in an organised and safe venue away from the streets but at the same time will make them aware of the dangers of riding motorbikes in areas such as on footpaths and in parks."