Plans to stop illegal motorbike riding in Leigh Park area

A RESIDENTS’ management company is seeking to curb dangerous and illegal motorbike activity near the Leigh Park area after reported incidents of motorised bikes and e-scooters riding dangerously through a public open space.

In a letter to residents living near the Becks Mill part of Leigh Park, including Camargue Road, Caspian Gardens and Cob Place, the residents’ management company has proposed to install a wooden post and rail fence along the front of Carmargue Road to stop people from illegally riding motorised bikes and e-scooters through the open space which is regularly used by pedestrians and wildlife. The space features a pond which is often frequented by swans.

A grass mound at the entrance to the public open space from Camargue Road has been worn away from consistent use by motorised bikes and e-scooters. A resident of the area, Russell Hawker, has welcomed the proposed fence and says it could go a long way to protecting the swans and other wildlife that live in the area.

“I think the plans are clearly necessary,” he said. “Constant use of the mound at the entrance to the public open space on Carmargue Road by those on e-scooters has created a well-worn path where the wheels wear away the grass. I have not seen people ride on the mound, but I have seen an occasional cyclist/e-scooter rider go through the area as whole and can imagine it would disturb the swans that rest every day on the grass beside the path and Wellhead stream regardless of speed, but especially if it is fast.

“I regularly see swans, ducks, moorhens, a heron and sometimes a kingfisher in the area and at night the area is full of bats flying about.”

In the letter to residents, the residents’ management company says they have become “extremely concerned” with the incidents of people misusing the area by riding through it. In the letter they say, “This illegal activity creates an obvious danger to the public passing through and the wildlife that inhabit the area. The police have been notified on several occasions, but it has unfortunately continued.”

As part of the proposals, there will a combined pedestrian and vehicular access gate along the Carmargue Road frontage while an additional pedestrian gate at the School Lane entrance to the area could also be considered in the future.

The letter continues, “A gated fence will better define the public open space boundary on Carmargue Road and create a proper entrance which should help prevent the motorbike riding as well as keeping our swans from wandering out of the area and onto the road, which they worryingly do on occasion.”