Quad Bikers ordered to steer clear

The Forestry Commission is warning illegal quad bikers to mend their ways or face prosecution. A plight of recent incidents in Dalby Forest, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, has seen bikers take to sections of newly constructed mountain bike trails, being built as part of a £400,000 network, scheduled to open in May. In their wake they have left hundreds of pounds of damage, churning up newly surfaced single track trail and requiring construction teams to undertake repairs. Although the project is still on schedule, quad bikers are not only making the task more difficult, but they also pose a danger to other forest users. Alan Eves, Forest District Manager, said: "Our priority is the safety of the public and all unauthorised vehicles, including quad bikes, are strictly banned in the forest. We have altered our warning signs to ensure that quads are included in this general prohibition. We have also informed the police and stepped up our patrols in Dalby. Anyone found flouting these commonsense rules will be prosecuted." Last year forest chiefs unveiled the first eight kilometre section of trails, offering a foretaste of what is to come when the entire 55 kilometre network is launched. The scheme is the biggest of its kind in England, backed by £140,000 from the EU's Objective 2 programme. Project partners also include independent riders group, SingletrAction, and Adrian Carter, from Pace Cycles at Kirkbymoorside. Forest chiefs predict the project will provide a significant boost to tourism. www.forestry.gov.uk