POLICE have acted quickly to tackle a motorcycle menace in North Yorkshire.

Over the weekend, speed and safety checks were set up in response to a desperate plea for help from residents in the Bilsdale area.

Only two weeks ago, the D&S Times spotlighted the anguish of residents living along the B1257 between Stokesley and Helmsley.

People have complained of being afraid to cross the road, mainly because of speeding bikers.

And one pub landlord has to call for police assistance when he wants to move livestock from one side of the road to the other.

Noise from illegal bike exhaust systems - the notorious race cans - has also been causing havoc.

In the end, residents called for a parish forum attended by senior police officers to be brought forward so their complaints could be heard.

So on Sunday Sgt Chris Charlton, of North Yorkshire police's eastern area road policing group, co-ordinated an operation on the A170 and B1257 roads.

He said the action was a direct result of concerns raised by parish councils and residents in the Bilsdale, Helmsley and Stokesley areas about alleged high speed and noise created by motorcycles.

"Both of which affect the quality of life of local people," he said.

Backed by officers from Stokesley, the road policing group carried out covert and overt speed checks on both roads.

Five motorcyclists received fixed penalty notices for excessive speed and six more were given verbal warnings about speeding.

One car driver was reported and another issued with a fixed penalty for speeding. Another car driver received a vehicle defect notice.

Vehicle maintenance checks were carried out on the B1257 at Chop Gate and in two and a half hours 40 motorcyclists were stopped and 17 riders given vehicle defect notices to replace unlawful exhaust systems.

Six of the 17 were also told to replace unlawful registration plates, which have small lettering and are considered a fashion accessory.

While checks were taking place on the roads, a safety display was set up in Helmsley market place, which police said proved popular.

Sgt Charlton said: "The whole day illustrated the effectiveness and flexibility of the police approach to motorcycle safety.

"There has to be a commitment by police to enforcing legislation but at the same time the people seen to be causing the problem, the riders, need to be educated.

"We know not all motorcyclists are to blame and on the whole the reaction from them was positive to the action that was taken at the weekend."

* Letters to the Editor: page 2