RESIDENTS have hit out after quad bikes churned up verges and other grassed areas in a spate of incidents across the district.

Areas around Eccleshill and Thorpe Edge were left ruined by tyre tracks over the weekend by yobs on quad bikes.

On Bracken Edge in Thorpe Edge, a wooden fence was also damaged by quad bikers.

The incidents, reported by West Yorkshire Police’s Bradford Quad Squad, follow ongoing problems in the Woodside area with quad bikes.

The Quad Squad has made almost 1,000 vehicle seizures since its inception in July 2014.

Recent seizures by the squad include taking a quad from its rider who was on his phone while riding, a quad seized from a 13-year-old who was riding it on the roads, and taking one from a person who was riding it while a small child sat in front of them.

One resident, who lives on the Woodside Estate and asked to remain anonymous, said there had been problems involving quad bikes along with 4x4 vehicles and road cars being driven anti-socially and on grassed areas for more than three years.

He said: “I report issues I see to the police and they react as soon as possible, but most drivers do not get caught.

“Local councillors and council officials are aware of the issues but have not acted to protect the grassed land and the local community.”

He said he took photos of the damaged grass areas last month, and since then the damage from tyre tracks had got worse.

“The grassed land in question is located adjacent to Fenwick Drive and Meadway,” he said.

“Located at the bottom of the grassed land is the Woodside Academy School and higher up the grassed land adjacent to Meadway is a children’s play area.

“My first concern is the areas of the grassed land are in very poor condition due to cars parking and cars/quads driving on the grassed land near the school on Fenwick Drive.

“Here cars are parked by parents on or parking half on half off the grass when dropping off or collecting their children.

“The other damage is caused by 4x4s/quads driving on the grass.

“Quad bikes and 4x4s are driving up the grassland and into the children’s play area.

“At the back of the play area is a bike track which goes into the woods. Quads and 4x4s drive around this track, sometimes when kids are playing. Quads do jumps over the mound in front of the play area.

“Last summer I saw a car drive up the grassland and straight between children that were playing near the play area. It’s a wonder no children got run over.

“I believe that there is a clear danger to members of the community using the grassed land to walk, dog walk or just children playing.

“About ten days ago when we had snow a 4x4 drove down the grassed land at over 30mph whilst families were playing out in the snow.”

The man added that two small sections of fence had been put up near the junction of Fenwick Drive and Meadway, but he said the fence was just “a token gesture”.

“What we need is fencing around the whole area of the grassed land, to stop all vehicles driving on it.

“It’s clear that ongoing driving on the grassed land is going to cause severe damage to it. We also need some form of protection for adults and children walking or playing on the grass from 4x4s and quads.”

Councillor Alun Griffiths (Lib Dem, Idle & Thackley) said quad bikes had been an ongoing issue.

He said: “Bracken Edge has been a problem area in the past with quad bikes.

“My colleague Councillor Dominic Fear worked to get these fences put up to try and prevent quad bikes getting onto the land but it looks like people are prepared to pull the fences up.

“I just hope the police can catch those responsible and bring them to justice, and when they do I am sure it will be a great relief to people around there.

“It’s really upsetting for local residents who just want to live there peacefully.

“There is the short-term problem of the noise but there are also long-term effects on the environment and the land.

“When the land is all churned up it looks horrible and I have no doubt residents in the area are upset and angry about it.”

PC David Hitchcocks, of the Bradford Anti-Social Vehicle Team – the so-called Quad Squad – said: “We are continuing to take action against people who use vehicles anti-socially and illegally in Bradford district and have now seized almost 1,000 vehicles since our operations began in July 2014.

“We have also issued more than 950 warnings and taken a number of people to court for nuisance vehicle offences.

“Information from the public has been important to achieving these results and we are grateful for their continued support.

MORE TOP STORIES

“Please provide as much information as you can, particularly if you know where these vehicles are being stored or who may be storing them and we will make further inquiries and take positive action where possible.”

Nuisance vehicles can be reported by email to bdasbbiketeam@west yorkshire.pnn.police.uk or by calling police on 101.

Non-urgent matters can also be reported to an answering machine on 01274 373968. People are asked to only call 999 when a vehicle is posing a threat to life.