Bikers 'ride like idiots' on cycleway, say walkers

Motorcyclists have been accused of riding "like idiots" on a cycle path in North Yorkshire, with reports of them swerving to miss dog walkers and on one occasion, a man pushing a baby in a pram.

Kirsty Matheson, from Harrogate, said her husband Tim had been almost struck on two occasions on the Nidderdale Greenway, which connects Bilton and Knaresborough with Ripley.

She said: "We live right next to the path and that is our route into town - people are walking their dogs there, with their prams and kids, but they fly through with absolutely no regard."

North Yorkshire Police said there was a "significant increase in the use of illegal e-bikes nationally, and North Yorkshire is no exception".

Matheson, 38, said her husband was pushing their one-year-old daughter in a pram when he was almost hit a few days ago.

"He has nearly been hit twice, he was pushing her in the pram one time and they are driving like absolute idiots, it's around the whole area, not just on the cycle track but out on the road as well.

"We live on the cycle track, right next to it - we can see it - there are some who go on the fields, they don't seem to be a problem, but there are a certain group of them who wear balaclavas and drive like idiots - they are the ones who are the bother."

She said: "The bikers we have seen do wheelies and drive around - they are wearing balaclavas but you can tell they are young.

"On Sunday there were two bikes with two of them on each one.

"The first one my husband knew was coming because he could hear it, it was the second one that swerved around the corner. It was a near miss."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "These bikes are often ridden in ways that place the public at risk, intimidate road users and, at times, contribute to wider criminality.

"As a force, we are taking a co-ordinated approach to address this trend - from targeted enforcement operations to proactive engagement in schools and public spaces across the county."

They added: "Our priority is to protect communities and reduce harm. Where necessary, we have a range of tactics available to stop riders safely and ensure that those who flout the law on illegal bikes face the appropriate consequences."

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