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Sick of off road bike noise

6 replies

Bluebirthdaycard · 24/02/2024 15:59

Ridiculously noisy off road bikes are being used on an old unused road, not far from here and I'm getting sick of the daily racket they're making. At one end of the road that's being used is a gate and a sign stating no motorbikes/cars and I'm not even sure who the road belongs to. I've managed to track down one of the culprits on fb, a bloke nearing 50, not the sort you expect to be causing this sort of thing. I've contacted the parish council who say it's nothing to do with them, it's a county council/police issue. Just looking for some advice on where to take this and is it worth the bother, not whether or not I'm a killjoy. TIA.

OP posts:
Beamur · 24/02/2024 16:11

Contact the County Council and ask what the status of the track is.
The signs may or may not be accurate. If it's a metal municipal type one it's probably correct, otherwise I wouldn't rely on it.
If it is legally rideable, your options will be very limited. Police might be willing to check if the bikes are road legal. It's not illegal to noodle about on a minor road on a motorbike. I don't know what powers there would be around noise.
You could potentially ask the council to restrict it with a traffic regulation order. But unless it's a nuisance for lots of other people too, it's going to be unlikely they will have a spare £10k to spend on that, plus it's only effective if the Police are willing to do something.

coureur · 24/02/2024 16:13

It’s a criminal offence to use a motorised vehicle off-road except with landowner’s permission or on a byway open to all traffic (BOAT). First thing would be to check on the ordnance survey map if it’s a BOAT. If not, chances are they don’t have the landowner’s permission and you could phone it in on the non-emergency number.

Bluebirthdaycard · 24/02/2024 16:24

Beamur · 24/02/2024 16:11

Contact the County Council and ask what the status of the track is.
The signs may or may not be accurate. If it's a metal municipal type one it's probably correct, otherwise I wouldn't rely on it.
If it is legally rideable, your options will be very limited. Police might be willing to check if the bikes are road legal. It's not illegal to noodle about on a minor road on a motorbike. I don't know what powers there would be around noise.
You could potentially ask the council to restrict it with a traffic regulation order. But unless it's a nuisance for lots of other people too, it's going to be unlikely they will have a spare £10k to spend on that, plus it's only effective if the Police are willing to do something.

It's definitely a proper road sign (white circle, red outer, motorbike and car shapes). There's probably at least 50 houses that must hear this, I can't be the only one who's sick of it surely? This has been going on for the best part of 3 months. I think I'll try the council, thanks.

OP posts:
Beamur · 24/02/2024 16:42

Also contact your Ward Councillor. They can be really useful advocates for you both with the Council and the Police

arejcenencehche3uh9f3 · 26/02/2024 13:51

Yes, find out if it is a BOAT via county council or an OS map. It may also be worth asking on Nextdoor or a local facebook group - you might even find someone else has already reported it. It doesn't sound as though it is a BOAT given the signage.

If it's a BOAT it would still be worth contacting the police if the riding is reckless, they are on unregistered bikes (no number plate) or the noise is such that you think the bikes might have illegal exhausts - but bear in mind many trail bikes are 2 strokes which means they seem noisy but are still legal.

(If it isn't a BOAT then they are breaking the law unless the landowner has given them permission - contact the police).

I am a biker (not off road) and some of these off roading idiots give the rest of us a bad name.

I don't think it applies in this case, as it sounds like a tarmac road, but one of the BOATs near us is just a country path between fields. It got so chewed up and rutted by bikes as to be virtually impassable on foot so I complained to the CC and they closed it to motor traffic for several months to let it recover. I'm sure I wasn't popular!

Ilovemyshed · 26/02/2024 13:58

Check out more info here on BOATS and UCRs

glass-uk.org/where-can-i-drive-home-grid-articles.html

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