Bikers Appear As Expected on Former Wisley Airfield

Published on: 29 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2017

Elm Lane from the air with the A3 top left and the access point usually used by the motor bikers by the P for parking.

Bikers appeared again this weekend, annoying residents close to the former airfield a Wisley.

As some have feared, the bikers made their regular bank holiday weekend appearance to ride on the old runways and surrounding tracks.

Guildford Dragon reporter Chris Dick found three carrier vehicles there when we visited.

He spoke to some of the bikers who said they had come from the Heathrow area and remarked that being a Bank Holiday Monday there were less than the number expected.

One woman said that she normally brought her children to enjoy a good day out adding, “I’ve got a day off from the kids today. We don’t belong any club or anything, we just come for a good time.”

Some of them were happy to be photographed although one rider clearly did not wish to be pictured with his road bike.

Quad bike carrier yesterday (August 28) by Elm Corner.

But one resident claimed to have been threatened and reduced to tears by the aggressive behaviour of some of the bikers and the “deafening noise of the bikes”.

Another resident, Ben Paton, who lives close by, wrote: “As I write this I can hear sounds reminiscent of racing at Brands Hatch coming from the western end of the former Wisley airfield where motorcyclists are racing their motorbikes along the public footpaths.

“On previous bank holidays this parish has been invaded by 50 to 100 motorcyclists racing along the public footpaths and bridleways from Elm Corner.”

Wisley Property Investments own the site which they are hoping to develop with a major housing scheme for up to 3,000 new homes. In April when the previous incursion took place, Project Manager Mike Murray said: “Wisley Property Investments has been actively liaising with the police and Surrey County Council over the last two years to address the issue.”

Above YouTube video clip was taken of a previous similar incident in 2016

Local borough councillor, Colin Cross is known to have been informed of the current reports, and, in addition to Wisley Property Investments, Surrey Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Guildford Borough Council have been invited to comment.

Cllr Julie Iles

Cllr Julie Iles (Conservative, Horsleys) responded: “There is an ongoing problem at Elm Corner with bikers racing along the public rights of way on the former airfield. More recently activities have escalated with an air ambulance called out to a casualty of a “bike fight”, acts of theft, vandalism and intimidation. As County Councillor for the Horsleys

“As county councillor for the Horsleys division, I am working with local residents to co-ordinate an effective resolution. Surrey Wildlife Trust is working to close off any obvious access points through the woods, I have asked the landowner to replace signage and our countryside access team will be removing debris which serves as a ramp to allow bikes to access the field.

“To date, the police have not enforced the contraventions of the road traffic act so I have followed up with the Police and Crime Commissioner to request action from the Joint Enforcement Team working with Guildford Borough Council. I will not let this rest.”

Responses to Bikers Appear As Expected on Former Wisley Airfield

Dave Middleton Reply

August 30, 2017 at 11:37 am

From the video above it seems that the principle cause of the noise nuisance is the sports bike riders repeatedly thrashing up and down the old runway, which incidentally take no skill whatsoever – any darned fool can ride fast in a straight line and execute a wobbly U turn at the end!

Surely if the runway surface was broken up, perhaps with clearly marked trenches every 50 yards or so, that would put an end to it? That’s probably no more than a couple of days work for a bloke with a digger and a concrete breaker attachment, the cost of which would be peanuts to the site’s owners and might even make them a bit more popular with the locals.

All of the above said, I still think the lack of police enforcement action in this matter is appalling.
A Atkinson Reply

August 30, 2017 at 5:42 pm

I wonder if the police reviewed CCT films of the A3 when it was reported a quad bike type vehicle driving on the A3 into Elm Corner on another occasion with both passenger and driver not wearing helmets dangerously swerving within the traffic?
John Lomas Reply

August 30, 2017 at 6:44 pm

Was the quad bike a road legal one? Some are.

For information, Helmets are not required by law on quad bikes.