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County Councillor Frustrated By ‘Confused’ Response to Wisley Motor Bike Problem
Published on: 31 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 31 Aug, 2017
Biker on Wisley Airfield in 2016
A Surrey county councillor, Julie Iles (Con, Horsleys), says the police have given a “wholly confused response” to the chronic problems reported by local residents of motor bikers using the former Wisley Airfield. It has become a regular occurrence at bank holiday weekends, especially Bank Holiday weekends.
Asked by The Guildford Dragon NEWS, what should be done to reduce the intimidation and nuisance to local residents, a Surrey Police spokesperson said: “We are aware there are issues with motorcyclists using Wisley Airfield, however, this is private land and as such the landowner holds primary responsibility in reducing the issues being caused.
“With regards to motorcyclists contravening Road Traffic Act offences; this is not a criminal offence and whilst we will deal with any offences witnessed, we have to prioritise limited resources.”
Cllr Julie Iles
Cllr Iles said: “I have contacted the landowner and requested that they replace the signage and make it tamper proof because it is regularly removed.
“The comment sent to The Dragon by the police spokesperson is indicative of a wholly confused response, when indeed there is any at all, from the police.
“Police Sergeant Samantha Barwood responded by email on April 18th to a communication sent to the contact centre by email, on April 18. I paraphrase her reply:
- Motorbikes using the airfield – private property, classed as trespass and therefore a civil matter.
- Noise from motorbikes – environmental health matter for GBC.
- Elm Corner double yellow lines – parking on these decriminalised and so a matter for GBC.
“Sgt Barwood also put in the email: ‘Motorbikes using Bridleways and Footpaths – in relation to the offences, it is an offence under section34(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a footpath, bridleway or restricted byway. A Section 59 warning can also be given, if the above offence is being committed and the driver is causing alarm, distress or annoyance to the public.'”
Quad bike carrier by Elm Corner.
Cllr Iles says that she has invited the police to a meeting with all concerned parties and received no reply.
She continued: ”FOI requests have been ignored and most recently the residents were told by the contact centre that there is a partnership approach to deal with this issue and no further contact will be made regarding this matter. I think the residents would know if this were true.
“The Police and Crime Commissioner has not responded – I first contacted him on Aug 20th and verbally brought it to his attention Aug 23rd.”
Surrey Police did follow up one resident’s report last weekend (August 27, 2017). They were reported to have sent two members of their response team because language used in the incident led to it being categorised as a hate crime.
Cllr Iles concluded: “The response team deal with 999 calls normally. I have not heard whether they followed up on their promise to take it up with Sgt Barwood, the Neighbourhood Officer in charge or place a couple of patrol cars there.”
The Guildford Dragon NEWS invited a response from the owners of Wisley Airfield Wisley Property Investments but, so far, none has been received.
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Responses to County Councillor Frustrated By ‘Confused’ Response to Wisley Motor Bike Problem
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See: E-Bikes for Hire Arrive in Guildford
Helen Jefferies
August 31, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Quite clearly the “partnership” isn’t working. We’ve seen it before, GBC and Surrey Police sharing an office at Millmead doesn’t appear to enhance communication, but rather “buck passing” or blame anyone but us.
Paul Bishop
September 1, 2017 at 1:01 pm
The police statement could be translated to: The police have more important things to do than bother with a few motorcycles having some bank holiday fun.
Good.
The local residents are lucky that the airfield they live next door was taken out of use. There used to be planes landing and taking off regularly at Wisley, now people are complaining about the odd motorcycle engine a few times a year.
They moved next to an airfield, not empty green fields!
Ben Paton
September 2, 2017 at 4:03 pm
Mr Bishop should get his facts right rather than be a propagandist for development.
There are quite a few people who live in Ockham who have been here with their families since before WW2. They were living next to green fields. The agricultural land that was commandeered during the war was requisitioned on 12 hours notice.
The people of Ockham did not move next an airfield. The airfield was put right in the middle of their parish. Assurances were given by the government during and after the war that the land would be returned to its pre-war agricultural use.
The people who have moved here since all flying ceased in 1970 have also moved next to green fields.
The runway and hard-standing comprise a tiny proportion of the land in question. The runway is only about 9% of the total. The hard-standing represents about 15% and already has planning permission for a composting facility. The rest is green fields and countryside. The runway was only used for 27 years. Over forty years have elapsed since it was last used.
Mr Bishop is also wrong about planes taking off and landing regularly. The airfield was a private runway built for Vickers Armstrong. It was upgraded after the war for specific aircraft development projects in Brooklands/ Weybridge. Mr Bishop would have you believe that it was a commercial airport with regular flights. It was not. It was used sporadically and not continuously.
The residents were not ‘lucky that the airfield they live next door to was taken out of use’. It was taken out of use because the British aircraft industry consolidated and Vickers ultimately became part of BAe. Farnborough and other airfields were much more suitable for its purposes.
Mr Bishop presumablyly loves the sound of motorbikes, relishes verbal abuse and enjoys criminal damage. So if he’s consistent he wont complain if someone daub’s foul language on his gates, abuses him, and races motorbikes up and down outside his house.
Keith Reeves
September 4, 2017 at 8:27 am
I couldn’t see where Paul Bishop’s comment suggested that either he’s a ‘propagandist for development’ or ‘loves the sound of motorbikes, relishes verbal abuse and enjoys criminal damage’.