David Gardiner

Journalist

Police have appealed to Douglas parents to keep a close eye on where kids ride their dirt bikes, after numerous complaints about grassed areas being ripped up and noise near homes and businesses.

Business owners in industrial areas mainly in Craiglie and Mossman have reported several incidents of young trail bike riders tearing up the ground and causing excessive noise with their machines in some public areas, including on council land.

The complaints to police have been more frequent especially during recent school holidays and also on most weekends.

Senior Constable Kim Demarte said while riding motorbikes on private property is not illegal, it’s obvious that some of the young riders have gone beyond their own properties and in some cases, made a mess of neighbouring yards.

“If motorbike riders are caught riding where they shouldn’t be, there are a multitude of offences they can be charged with,” Sen Cons Demarte said.

Local business owners in the Craiglie area have recently met more than once with police to discuss the problem.

“We are appealing to parents to be responsible for where their kids are riding.”

Police have also reminded dirt bike riders that when they’re crossing from one privately-owned block of land to another, they often must cross a public road.

“They need to hop off their bikes and safely cross the road pushing the bike, not riding it,” he said.

“Riders should also bear in mind where they are riding in relation to how close they are to residential areas, even if they are still on private property.”