A WARNING from police has gone out to youngsters taking part in a ‘craze’ of reckless cycling in the town centre.
Police are receiving regular reports of large groups of bikes being ridden dangerously around the town centre – putting themselves and pedestrians at risk.
A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police’s Rugby Town Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “These reports are becoming more frequent and dangerous.
“The bikes are being ridden in a dangerous manner as part of a new craze across the borough. This is unacceptable and causing alarm with members of the public.
“We are regularly dealing with large groups on pedal cycles who, at times, are riding without helmets, riding with another person on handle bars on roads, and pulling wheelies into oncoming traffic.
“The amount of near misses is unacceptable and we are looking to deal with anyone committing the offence.
“We want to remind parents of children with bikes that should they ride their bike in a dangerous manner on a road or footpath without due care and attention, they will be guilty of an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988.”
In April, Observer reader Simon Wickes told us he had nearly been knocked down on three occasions in the space of two months while walking in the town centre’s pedestrianised zone.
He said: “There’s a spate of people – usually teenagers or people in their early 20s – riding bicycles very recklessly, and it seems to be getting worse.”
He said the worst instance was when eight teenage boys rode towards him at ‘terrific speed’.
“Eight bikes coming towards you – how do you get out of that?” he said. “One of them pulled a wheelie right in front of me so he had no control, he couldn’t steer, and he hadn’t even noticed I was there.
“The only way I could deal with it was to curl myself up into a ball. I was absolutely scared to bejesus.
“I’ve seen elderly people being bumped into. Someone’s going to get hurt.”
Responding to a public consultation, a task group at Rugby Borough Council has recommended introducing a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to crack down on cyclists causing ‘nuisance, alarm, harassment or distress’ in the town centre.
The group’s report said the problem was of ‘a persistent or continuing nature’.
Prosecutions for breaching other PSPOs can result in fines of up to £1,000.
The PSPO is set to be discussed at a council meeting on September 3. If approved, it would also have to be agreed by Warwickshire County Council – which is responsible for roads – because the pedestrianised area of the town centre is officially a highway and is open to vehicles from 4pm to 10am.
The proposed PSPO would then be subject to a public consultation and could be adopted by the autumn.
