Nant Rhydwilym in the Berwyn Mountains. Photo: Stray Croc
Police have warned motorcyclists they may have their bikes seized if they damage fragile moorland.
North Wales Police put out the warning after reports of bikers scrambling on the Berwyn Mountains and causing criminal damage. Leaflets and posters have been produced to warning off-road motorcyclists of the problems.
PC Pete Stephens, community beat manager for the Corwen area, said: “As well as damaging parts of the area, some of the riders have also damaged stock fences in a bid for them to gain access to yet more land to ride over.
“It is illegal to drive a vehicle on forestry land, common land, moorland or any other land that is not part of a road without permission. The reality is that riders who break the law could have their bikes seized.
“Already we have had people travelling from outside North Wales to scramble in the area and we want to stop this activity before yet more areas of the Berwyn Mountains are damaged.
“The pamphlets are readily available and will be handed out to individuals on weekends and during the bank holidays in a bid to warn them of the damage that is being caused to the area and the consequences of illegal riding.”
The Berwyn Mountains lie to the East of Snowdonia National Park.
Peter Stuart
03 May 2009It is not just the Berwyns, there are numerous locations accross the UK that these pepole ride on. They have no respect for the enviroment or for other people who use the land. It is a criminal act and should be and should be traeted in the same way as any other criminal. It is a pitty that this government has cut budgets to countryside wardens in preference to the 2012 Olympics. Whilst threats to seize bikes may sound good in practice this will never happen, in all the time I have been walking I have never seen any attempt to police the situation.
Tony
06 May 2009We were on the Berwyns a few weeks ago. Many bikers were ignoring warning signs. All had number plates covered up and the damage is getting worse, especially around Cadair Bronwen. There are huge ruts getting wider. My mate said that he did not want to walk the Berwyns in future. Noise pollution was awful all day. the authorities need to be seen to be carrying out the threat of confiscation.