Masterton riders' trail of terror

NUISANCE: Residents living near the recreation trail along the Waipoua River say dirt bikes using the track are making it unsafe for their children to use. PHOTOS/THINKSTOCK, FILE

Masterton residents living near the Waipoua River say dirt bikes using the track beside the river are making the trail unsafe for their children and are an accident waiting to happen.

Residents say dirt bikes and quad bikes speed along the track nearly every day, often failing to move aside for pedestrians or cyclists and making it unsafe for families to use the track.

The track, which is part of the council's recreation trail network, stretches 2.4km and runs from Colombo Rd to Akura Rd.

Kelly Norman, who lives directly opposite the track, said she was worried about her children using it.

"My kids don't like riding there because they [bikers] come flying round the corner and they don't know if there's little kids. Some day there's going to be an accident."

"It doesn't make it enjoyable. My 5-year-old stops in her tracks."

She was unsure of the speed the bikes travelled at, but felt it was too fast for the conditions.

"It makes you angry when you go down there. Especially as I take it as a walking/biking track."

The riders often lacked helmets or safety equipment and sometimes had children on the bikes with them, she said.

A resident of Railway Cres, who did not wish to be named, said they were sick of riders failing to move aside for walkers and children.

"We still use it but it's just horrible ... they don't care if you've got a pram or not."

The noise the bikes made was also unpleasant, she said.

"It's a quiet street. It destroys the peace and it wakes up the kids."

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said sooner or later there would be an accident.

"It's pretty bloody annoying. One day someone is going to get hurt. It's just dangerous, someone will get collected."

By the time police arrived the riders had already left, he said.

Senior Sergeant Jymahl Glassey said he was aware police had received calls regarding the bikes, but was unsure as to the number of complaints.

"We do our best to get them but it's not an easy fix, and a motorbike is a lot more manoeuvrable than a car."

"We've been down there on many occasions to try to preempt it ... as quickly as you can get them another one comes up."

District council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead said in the past year the council received 23 complaints about motorbikes on its reserves, four of which were on the recreation trails.

"We are aware of motorbikes using the recreation trails.

"With the help of the police we are doing what we can under the bylaws to catch and prosecute these individuals."

It was difficult to prohibit motorbikes as restricting access would also reduce accessibility for cyclists and people with pushchairs, Mr Rossiter-Stead said.

He encouraged people to report the motorbikes to either the police or the council.