BRENT Council have banned motorcycles from a road near to the Ace Cafe.
Rainsford Road is a new road that runs through a largely unused development site and includes two roundabouts. The road has been used by bikers and according to Brent Council has been subject to complaints.
The BMF challenged the council's proposal to close the road on the grounds of anti-social behaiour. In a reply to the BMF's letter, the Borough of Brent stated that the tactics they have tried since September 2012 to clear motorcycles have failed.
The letter also states, rather strangely: 'An operation conducted by Brent Police, MPS Traffic & Safer Transport Police which took place on the 12th,13th, 19th and 20th July 2013 was designed to tackle general anti-social behaviour and in particular the dangerous and anti-social riding / driving which occurs in and around the Ace Cafe and Rainsford Road.Throughout the operation the police became aware that visitors to the Ace Café were warning each other of their [police] presence to circumvent the effectiveness of the police.'
The letter continues and says: 'The Council would agree that a prohibition on motorcyclists could appear punitive but it is believed that in this case it is necessary to prevent a potential fatal accident and to prevent anti-social behaviour.'
In a letter of reply to Brent Council, Chris Hodder stated: 'You have not outlined in the slightest how banning members of the British Motorcyclists Federation or other motorcyclists from using Rainsford Road will stop those intent on using the road illegally from continuing to do so. In fact, all this will do, as I outlined before, is to create a new offence and a new group of offenders (i.e. anyone riding a motorcycle on Rainsford Road) that also requires enforcement. Although you have a duty to prevent anti-social behaviour, you also have a legal obligation to preserve our right of access. Criminalising otherwise law abiding motorcyclists does not do this.'
